Page Two

Organizer jailed for fiery blast at water park party (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/26
By: Paige Tsai, Chen Wei-ting, Yu Kai-hsiang and Y.F. Low

Taipei, April 26 (CNA) The organizer of a party in New Taipei last June during which nearly 500

(CNA photo June 27, 2015)

(CNA photo June 27, 2015)

people were injured in a dust explosion was sentenced to 4 years and 10 months in prison Tuesday. Fifteen of the victims later died of their injuries.

Lu Chung-chi (呂忠吉), the head of the local firm that organized the Color Play Asia party at the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙樂園) water park in the city’s Bali District on June 27, 2015, was found guilty of negligence causing death and injury.

Duty lawyers representing the victims expressed regret at the light sentence handed down on Lu and said they will decide whether to request prosecutors to appeal the case after discussing the details with the victims’ families.

The blast occurred when colored cornstarch powder used for party effects exploded and burst into flames, engulfing partygoers in fire.     [FULL  STORY]

Majority unclear on ‘1992 consensus’: poll

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 27, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Despite President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) frequent reference to the so-called “1992 consensus,” a significant majority of respondents to a poll published yesterday said they are unaware of the contents of the “consensus.”

The telephone-based survey, conducted by the Taiwan Brain Trust on Wednesday and Thursday last week, sought to gauge the public’s perceptions of the “1992 consensus” and their national identity.

The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese government that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.

Of those polled, 76.2 percent were unclear about the main appeal of the “1992 consensus,” with 18.2 percent saying they had a clear understanding of the content of the “consensus.”

Asked whether they supported letting the “consensus” be the foundation of cross-strait interactions, more than half, or 52.3 percent, of the respondents opposed the idea, compared with 33.3 percent who supported it.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Calls for Stricter Animal Protection Laws

The News Lens
Date: 2016/04/25

On April 20, nearly 30 Taiwanese animal protection groups gathered to push for an amendment IMG_7664to the domestic Animal Protection Act. If the legislature passes the amendment, animal cruelty offenders might face jail terms of more than a year.

The Association of Taiwan Tree-huggers, Tawian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Animal Protection Association of the Republic of China, along with other animal protection groups, have launched a petition for a revision of the current Animal Protection Act.

As of April 21, more than 50,000 people have signed the petition. The campaign organizers hope to garner 300,000 signatures to put the amendment proposal on the agenda of the legislature.

Pan Han-shen, director of Taiwan Tree-huggers, states that they will propose an amendment draft to Article 25 of the Animal Protection Act before the end of April. The amendment will divide offenders into three categories, including pet owners, non-pet owners and people who kill animals for commercial use or food.     [FULL  STORY]

Ma: presidential pardon will not be considered

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-25
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Amid louder calls for a pardon for former President Chen Shui-bian, President Ma Ying-jeou 6750362said Monday that given a number of cases against Chen are still pending, the pardon will not be considered.

Amid louder calls for a pardon for former President Chen Shui-bian, President Ma Ying-jeou said Monday that given a number of cases against Chen are still pending, the pardon will not be considered at this moment.
The former president was sentenced to 20 years in jail for corruption in 2008 but has been out of jail on medical parole since January 2015.

A campaign calling for pardon of Chen began early this month, when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) approved a motion urging Ma to grant special pardon to his predecessor before the end of his term. The motion was however rejected by the Presidential Office shortly after, on the grounds that several cases against Chen are still ongoing.

On April 22, Taiwan’s High Court passed a motion suspending Chen’s participation in future court hearings due to his deteriorated health condition. It was Chen’s fourth successful appeal for a suspension. A session will be held by the High Court on May 13 to continue the hearing of the allegations against Chen and other defendants.     [FULL  STORY]

Unstable weather with thundershowers to last until late Thursday

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/25
By: Chen Wei-ting and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 25 (CNA) The weather in western and northeastern areas of Taiwan will be 49317847unstable this week through to Thursday due to an approaching weather front, which will bring thundershowers, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said Monday.

Although the sun was shining Monday morning, a weak weather front was drawing close and the weather in western and northeastern areas of the country was expected to change later in the day, the bureau said.

The front will remain at least until Thursday afternoon, the bureau forecast.

On the weekend, the weather will improve, with only sporadic showers expected on Sunday, it said.     [FULL  STORY]

DPP to set up committee on US pork

BALANCING ACT:If it is the nation’s goal to join the TPP, the interests of the public and the demands of industry must be taken into consideration, Tung Chen-yuan said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 26, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with CNA

Executive Yuan spokesman-designate Tung Chen-yuan (童振源) yesterday said the incoming government would establish an intra-ministerial negotiation mechanism to discuss issues concerning imports of US pork with ractopamine residue, pledging that the public’s food safety would not be sacrificed.

Tung made the remarks in Taipei amid growing speculation that president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration plans to allow imports of US pork containing residues of the leanness-promoting feed additive after she is sworn in on May 20.

Tung said it is too early to talk about opening the nation’s doors to US pork containing ractopamine because Tsai’s administration has yet to begin evaluations of the policy.

“It is the government’s goal and the wish of Taiwanese that the nation join the Trans-Pacific Partnership [TPP] trade agreement, but the administration must take into consideration both the public’s food safety and the interests of concerned industries,” Tung said.

Tsai’s administration would not enter into negotiations over imports of US pork containing ractopamine until four objectives are achieved, Tung said.     [FULL  STORY]

Fulong tourism sector promotes SUP and rock climbing

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-24
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Besides a golden sand beach, a popular bikeway, and a sand sculpting festival, 6750197what else does Fulong Village’s tourism sector have to offer?
Stand up paddling (SUP) and rock climbing are being promoted to inject new energy into Fulong, which is a coastal village located in Gongliao District, New Taipei City in Northeastern Taiwan.

Fulong boasts the Fulong Beach, the 20km Old Caoling Trail Circle-Line Bikeway that passes through old fishing villages along the northeastern coast and the Old Caoling Tunnel, as well as inexpensive Fulong lunch boxes.

As it is located at the outlet of the Shuang River, Fulong is also an ideal place for water activities, including surfing, windsurfing, kayaking and SUP.     [FULL STORY]

Growing flights between Taiwan and Japan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/24

Taipei, April 24 (CNA) The number of flights between Taiwan and Japan 55772465increased to 727 per week in April, up 40 percent from the 517 flights per week in April 2015, resulting in service to more destinations and stiffer competition, according to the Commercial Times.

Even with the considerable increase in service, four airlines are planning to launch new routes between the two countries this year.

Tigerair Taiwan will launch flights between Taoyuan International Airport and Sendai on June 29, V Air will begin service between Taoyuan and Naha on July 1 and Scoot will begin flying between Taoyuan and Sapporo on Oct. 1, the April 20 report said.

In addition, Philippine Airlines will launch a daily flight between Taoyuan and Osaka on June 28 that originates in Manila.

Taiwanese made some 3.79 million visits to Japan last year, making it the top destination for Taiwanese traveling overseas ahead of China, to which Taiwanese made 3.4 million visits in 2015, according to the report.     [FULL  STORY]

Rain expected in coming week as weather front approaches

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/24
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 24 (CNA) Most parts of Taiwan will experience afternoon thunder

(CNA file photo)

(CNA file photo)

showers in the coming week as several weather fronts approach the island, a Central Weather Bureau forecaster said Sunday.

Rain fell around most of Taiwan on Sunday because of a weather front, said Chang Hsin-hua (張心華), who predicted the wet weather will last until April 26, when the sun should reappear.

Another front is expect to hit Taiwan on April 27 and bring thunder showers to the island, and the unstable weather pattern will continue until April 29, Chang was cited as saying by the Apple Daily.

A third weather front could affect Taiwan beginning on April 30, continuing the pattern of thunder showers seen previously during the week, Chang predicted.     [FULL  STORY]

KMT may resort to grand justices on assets: Huang

LONG ROAD AHEAD:The KMT’s ties with corporations and transferral of assets to third parties mean that even if the act passes, it could take decades to resolve the problem

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 25, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday said that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) might use any government agencies it can influence, including the Council of Grand Justices, to obstruct legislation on ill-gotten party assets.

Huang made the remarks at the second and last day of the “Transitional Justice and Law” symposium held in Taipei by the Taiwan Association of University Professors, during which academics discussed the impediments to transitional justice.

“Given the KMT’s response to the relatively harmless draft presidential transition act, the party is expected to bring its ‘A game’ and turn to all the government agencies it can control, such as the grand justices, to boycott the draft bill on ill-gotten party assets,” said Huang, who presided over a session on how to deal with the KMT’s ill-gotten assets.

Huang said the KMT succeeded in exempting President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration from the draft presidential transition act by demanding that it be referred to party negotiations on Tuesday last week, which froze the proposal for a month.

Huang Shih-hsin (黃世鑫), an honorary professor at National Taipei University’s Department of Public Finance, compared the KMT to East Germany’s Socialist Unity Party (SED), saying both parties had been marred by controversial assets accrued during their one-party rules.     [FULL  STORY]