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Coast guard denies media reports over Taiping Island

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 17, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Coast Guard Administration on Friday denied a media report that it would send additional equipment and personnel to Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) amid escalating tensions after a controversial court ruling on the islands in the South China Sea.

The administration described the report as “fabricated speculation” and urged media organizations to stop spreading groundless information and avoid fueling tensions that are detrimental to peaceful development in the region.

The report said the administration would yesterday send its frigate Taitung to Taiwan-controlled Itu Aba to relieve the frigate Wei Hsing, which has been stationed there since Sunday last week on a patrol mission to protect Taiwanese fishing boats operating there.

It added that the Taitung has been ordered to take equipment and personnel to Itu Aba for security purposes prior to a visit by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) this week.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan issues travel warning for Turkey; ROC citizens ‘safe’

The China Post news
Date: July 17, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan Saturday urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Turkey, but maintained that no R.O.C. nationals had been killed or injured in the military coup attempt there.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a red travel alert for Turkey — the most serious warning — and it urged Taiwanese businesspeople and tourists already in Turkey to avoid large crowds.

An EVA Air plane heading to Istanbul early Saturday morning returned to Taiwan with its 166 passengers and 17 crew members after learning that the airport of the Turkish city was closed in the wake of the coup attempt, according to the airline company.

Premier Lin Chuan was immediately informed of the situation in Turkey and he instructed related ministries and government departments to obtain updates on the impact of the coup on R.O.C. nationals, according to Cabinet spokesman Tung Chen-yuan.    [FULL  STORY8]

Ma offers Tsai advice on Itu Aba

GLOBAL REACH:Former president Ma said that the government could buy Internet and international media advertising to explain Taiping Island’s status to the world

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 17, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

In an opinion piece yesterday published by the Chinese-language United Daily News, former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) presented 10 pieces of advice “for President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) reference” on ways to uphold Taiwan’s rights in the South China Sea and the status of Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島).

Tuesday’s ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Netherlands, over a case the Philippines brought against China said all high-tide features in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), including Itu Aba Island, are “rocks” rather than “islands” and are not entitled to 200 nautical mile (370.4km) exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

In the article, Ma said that when attorneys representing the Philippines in November last year started to “exert all their efforts to downgrade the legal status of Taiping Island and quoted a [Taiwanese] international legal academic’s article to falsely assert that Taiping Island lacks a fresh water source, is not arable, has no civilian residents and relies on imports for resources, I was alarmed and started to prepare a counterattack.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese fishermen plan to head to Taiping to protect rights

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/16
By: Kuo Chih-hsuan, Justin Su and Elaine Hou

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Taiwanese fishermen are planning to sail to Taiwan-controlled Taiping

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

Island in the South China Sea to protect the country’s fishing rights in response to a court ruling that rejected the island’s right to an exclusive economic zone.

A day after fishermen from Pingtung County’s Donggang Township proposed to set foot on Taiping to assert Taiwan’s sovereignty claim to the island and safeguard their fishing rights, the Liuchiu Fishermen’s Association expressed support for the move on Saturday.

It also encouraged fishing boats operating near Taiping to join in the campaign to set foot on the island, but it was not clear when the fishermen intend to make the trip.

They may need the help or approval of government authorities to land on Taiping Island because it is a government-controlled area.     [FULL  STORY]

VP optimistic about ‘New Southbound Policy’

The China Post
Date: July 17, 2016
By: The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Saturday extolled Taiwanese enterprises as the government’s overseas strategic partners and the key pillars behind Taiwan’s economic development, stressing that riding on the concerted efforts by Taiwanese businesses and the government, Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy” will surely prove a big success.

Chen made the remarks when speaking at a joint session of the boards of directors and supervisors of the Asia Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce (ATCC), held at The Lin Hotel in Taichung, in the company of Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), the Central News Agency reported.

Chen said that the ATCC is one of the R.O.C.’s most representative overseas organizations of Taiwanese businesses and has done a good job consolidating Taiwanese enterprises abroad, integrating their overall strength and creating business opportunities for members.

The vice president said that, as the nation’s overseas strategic partners and vital pillars behind Taiwan’s economic development, Taiwanese businesses have also served as a very important power in promoting economic and trade cooperation between Taiwan and other Asian countries. “They are really the pride of Taiwan,” he said.     [FULL  STORY]

Tourism Bureau promotes two tools to benefit travelers

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-07-14
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s Tourism Board has teamed up with Taipei 101 to promote three themes–“Tour Taiwan 6769694App” and “Information Stations,” two tools that serve as a mobile travel guide and civil information centers across Taiwan, respectively, as well as the “Taiwan Fun on the Tropic of Cancer” by setting up booths to display introduction to the three themes on the 89th floor of the building, the observation deck, from July 14 to August 31.

Chen Shih-ming, President of Taipei 101, said she welcomes the cooperation and feels the building is a nice place to promote these tourism tools as almost one in every three foreign tourists visits the building.

“Tour Taiwan App” for travelling in Taiwan the smart way

The Tour Taiwan App is hailed by the bureau as a must-have App and a smart way for touring Taiwan. The App was designed to provide guidance to travelers about hot attractions, delicious food, transportation, accommodation, and activities, or even where to find public toilets and garbage bins, the bureau said.     [FULL  STORY]

Train and bus services may be reduced starting August

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/14
By: Wang Shu-fen, Yu Hsiao-han and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, July 14 (CNA) Train and bus operators are calculating staff schedules and considering

CNA file photo

CNA file photo

reducing services on weekends and holidays starting in August, as a new Ministry of Labor directive will make it illegal for employees to work more than six days in a row without a day off.

But the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said Thursday that to reduce service, bus operators have to do it on the basis of passenger load factor in accordance with a directive, or they could be fined NT$9,000 (US$281) to NT$90,000 for violating the Highway Act.

Chou Yung-hui (周永暉), director-general of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), said it is currently evaluating reducing extra train services on weekends or holidays.

The TRA will take into consideration its service for remote areas in rearranging its schedule, said Chou.     [FULL  STORY]

Premier Lin responds to South China Sea arbitration

Taiwan Today
Date: July 14, 2016

The recent award rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the South China Sea

Premier Lin Chuan sets out the government’s position on the award rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration during a Cabinet meeting July 14 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Executive Yuan)

Premier Lin Chuan sets out the government’s position on the award rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration during a Cabinet meeting July 14 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Executive Yuan)

arbitration initiated by the Philippines is inappropriate on three points and the Republic of China (Taiwan) government maintains four positions on the issue, according to Premier Lin Chuan July 14.

“First, the ROC is referred to as ‘Taiwan Authority of China,’ an inappropriate designation that is demeaning to the status of the ROC as a sovereign state,” Lin said.

“Second, Taiping Island was not originally included in the scope of the arbitration, but the tribunal took it upon itself to expand its authority, declaring ROC-governed Taiping Island to be a rock. This decision severely undermines Taiwan’s rights in the South China Sea islands and their waters.”

Third, “during the arbitration process, the tribunal neither consulted with nor invited Taiwan to participate in the case. The award is therefore completely unacceptable and has no legally binding force on Taiwan.”     [FULL  STORY]

SOUTH CHINA SEA: US should use force to limit China: US admiral

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 15, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

The US should use its superior military force to set limits on Chinese aggression “as it has done in Taiwan,” former commander of US forces in the Pacific region admiral Dennis Blair said on Wednesday.

Testifying before the US Senate Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Blair said the US needed to decide which claims in the South China Sea it recognizes.

His testimony came one day after the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on a appeal from the Philippines, rejecting China’s claims to much of the South China Sea.

“It would be ideal if there were a multilateral adjudication of the conflicting claims in the South China Sea, since there are many disputed claims beyond China’s,” Blair said.     [FULL  STORY]

Student says sorry for cracking egg on education official’s head

The China Post
Date: July 15, 2016
By: Christine Chou

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A student who cracked an egg onto the head of a Ministry of Education (MOE,

National Chengchi University (NCCU, 政大) student Kao Juo-hsiang (高若想) apologizes to the Education Ministry official whose head she cracked an egg onto last week during a protest for university assistants' labor rights in front of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) on Thursday, July 14. (CNA)

National Chengchi University (NCCU, 政大) student Kao Juo-hsiang (高若想) apologizes to the Education Ministry official whose head she cracked an egg onto last week during a protest for university assistants’ labor rights in front of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) on Thursday, July 14. (CNA)

教育部) official at a protest last week gave an open apology Thursday to both the victim and her fellow protesters.

“I apologize,” National Chengchi University (NCCU, 政大) student Kao Juo-hsiang (高若想) said during a demonstration by university labor unions outside the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部).

She added that she was willing to bear the legal consequences for any embarrassment or mental or physical injury inflicted on the official, Wang Shu-Juan (王淑娟).

Kao said she had refused interview requests over the 10 days after the incident because she did not want to draw public attention away from issues surrounding university assistants’ labor conditions.

Other protesters, seeking to protect her, advised that speaking publicly about the incident would only prolong media coverage, Kao said.

She said she was sorry to see her fellow protesters bombarded with criticism and that her “personal impulse” caused the movement to lose focus and come to a standstill.     [FULL  STORY]