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Kaohsiung yacht firm sets sail for global expansion

Taiwan Today
Date: April 1, 2016

Kaohsiung City-based Alexander Marine Co. Ltd. is helping chart a course for Taiwan’s

One of Alexander Marine Co. Ltd.’s luxury superyacht models on display at the biennial Taiwan International Boat Show March 10-13 in Kaohsiung City is helping the southern Taiwan firm open new markets in Europe and mainland China. (Courtesy of AMCL)

One of Alexander Marine Co. Ltd.’s luxury superyacht models on display at the biennial Taiwan International Boat Show March 10-13 in Kaohsiung City is helping the southern Taiwan firm open new markets in Europe and mainland China. (Courtesy of AMCL)

thriving yacht industry to carve out a bigger share of the lucrative international market.

The maker of luxury seagoing recreational craft sells its products under the Ocean Alexander brand, which is synonymous with cutting-edge design and high-quality craftsmanship. It was the world’s fourth largest builder of motor yachts 78-foot or above last year, according to ShowBoats International’s annual Global Order Book.

AMCL’s flagship line tops the U.S. superyacht market with a share of over 10 percent. In 2015, the company recorded global revenues of NT$1.62 billion (US$50.4 million), soaring 250 percent from the year before.

This above-average growth reflects the southern Taiwan firm’s commitment to thinking outside the box. AMCL President Kevin Tseng said that by simplifying the product line, they are offering customers a select few premium models boasting modular designs and top-of-the-line components.

Tseng said this approach has paid handsome dividends. “There has been a very strong response to our modular designs, enabling us to bolster the price range of Ocean Alexander boats 20 percent above our competitors.”     [FULL  STORY]

US praises Taiwan over uranium policy

CENTER STAGE:Taiwan’s participation sends an important message to Asia about the benefits of nuclear security, US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 02, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON

The White House on Thursday praised Taiwan’s enriched uranium policies, as more than 50 national leaders met in Washington for a two-day summit aimed at halting nuclear proliferation.

“With respect to Taiwan’s contributions, obviously they’ve made an important contribution along with others in getting rid of stockpiles of highly enriched uranium,” US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said.

He was addressing a news briefing following a trilateral meeting — held as the summit opened — between US President Barack Obama, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

A major focus of the summit is preventing organizations such as the Islamic State group from obtaining nuclear material or a nuclear device.

Obama has made securing nuclear material around the world a top priority.     [FULL  STORY]

5 Vietnamese arrested in Taiwan for illegal logging: report

Thanh Nien News
Date: March 31, 2016

Five Vietnamese are facing charges in Taiwan after they were caught transporting illegal timber from a mountainous area.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency cited police as saying that they detected two suspicious vehicles on Tuesday night but could only stop one of them, with five Vietnamese and two Taiwanese men on board.

The vehicle was carrying more than 100 kilograms of Formosan cypress, an aromatic and insect-resistant wood with high economic value, and a chainsaw.
Two Taiwanese told the police they did not know the wood was illegal and they were just delivering it to someone.

Initial report found the Vietnamese nationals ran away from their legal employers in Taiwan earlier.

They can be prosecuted for theft and violations under Taiwan’s Forestry Act, according to the report.

There are around 164,000 Vietnamese working in Taiwan, nearly 30 percent of the country’s overseas workforce.     [FULL  STORY]

Lake Jiaming reopens to visitors April 1

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-31
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

After three month’s recess, Lake Jiaming will reopen to visitors on April 1 with new measures 6745161to allow additional 20 travelers to take a day trip to and from the lake every day, the Taitung Forest District Office (TFDO) said on Thursday.

Office director Liu Chung-lien said that the Lake Jiaming National Trail is an important resting area for the wildlife and has unique natural landscapes. She urged visitors to follow measures regarding limit of visitor number and check of credentials for entering the region in order to protect the natural ecology of this area.

After the opening, the number of visitors who registered for cabins and camping grounds is capped at 176 every day, but additional 20 visitors are allowed daily to take a day trip .

To enter the Lake Jiaming National Trail and stay at a cabin, a visitor will need to provide an Entry Permit to Mountain District, a camping space or cabin permit, and a photo identification card at the first checkpoint at the entrance of the Xiangyang National Forest Recreation Area for checking, the TFDO said. Day-trip travelers are also required to apply for a permit at the same location, the TFDO added.     [FULL STORY]

SEF chairman cancels planned visit to China

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/31
By: Chen Chia-lun and Romulo Huang

Taipei, March 31 (CNA) Lin Join-sane (林中森), chairman of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange

SEF headquarters in Taipei. (CNA file photo)

SEF headquarters in Taipei. (CNA file photo)

Foundation (SEF), has canceled his planned visit to China and has informed the relevant Chinese agencies of his decision, SEF Vice Chairman and spokesman Chou Jih-shine (周繼祥) said Thursday.

Chou made the announcement after the legislative Internal Administration Committee earlier in the day adopted a resolution that called on Lin not to visit China without its permission or to use public funds to finance such trips.

Chou said the SEF had received a response from the Chinese side, confirming that they had gotten the information about the cancelation and expressing the hope that the two sides would keep in contact.

Lin had planned to visit China April 6-12 at the head of six-member delegation, on a trip that would have taken them to Xiamen in Fujian Province, Jiangsu and Anhui.

The main purpose of the trip was to visit Taiwanese businessmen operating in China, according to the SEF.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan catches global smart city wave

Taiwan Today
Date: March 31, 2016

Taiwan is embracing the smart city concept and capitalizing on its information

A wealth of information is just a touch away for passengers using taxi-installed apps in cities around Taiwan. (Courtesy of ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs)

A wealth of information is just a touch away for passengers using taxi-installed apps in cities around Taiwan. (Courtesy of ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs)

communications technology sector advantages to lead the way in forging new digital frontiers in the 21st century and beyond.

The naming last month of New Taipei City and Hsinchu County in northern Taiwan among the top seven intelligent communities by New York City-based Intelligent Community Forum illustrates this trend. Six municipalities in Taiwan have made the list since 2004, with Taipei and Taichung in central Taiwan winning the top ICF award in 2006 and 2013, respectively.

Taiwan’s strong forum showing is backed by the country’s advanced infrastructure and high-tech prowess. Of these, Taipei’s YouBike system boasts one of the highest turnover rates in the world. The system is a model for cities such as Honolulu, Manila and Singapore.

Sizeable investment in mobile broadband connectivity is further evidence of Taiwan’s smart city commitment. The free public Wi-Fi service in Taipei is one of the best in the world, according to U.K.-based website Business Insider. In addition, an increasing number of buses in Hsinchu, Taipei and Tainan cities also offer fourth-generation Wi-Fi access.

The three outlying counties of Kinmen, Lienchiang and Penghu are also rolling out smart city policies. Kinmen plans to launch an integrated circuit resident card, Lienchiang runs an e-government platform offering streamlined services for residents and Penghu maintains an app providing tourist information.     [FULL  STORY]

Groups call for impeachment of Yuan official

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 01, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

Judicial Yuan Vice President Su Yeong-chin (蘇永欽) should be impeached for interfering in the MeHAS land appropriation case’s appeal process by making public comments, judicial reform activists said yesterday during a protest outside the Control Yuan in Taipei.

Landowners accompanied by members of the Taiwan Forever Association, the Judicial Reform Foundation and the Northern Taiwan Society shouted slogans calling for Su to be removed from his post.

“We hope that the Control Yuan can immediately impeach [Su] to maintain Taiwan’s constitutional government and the dignity of our judiciary,” Taiwan Forever Association executive secretary Hung Chung-yen (洪崇晏) said.

He blasted Su for actively seeking out media interviews to elaborate on the Council of Grand Justices’ Constitutional Interpretation No. 732, which ruled that the Taipei City Government’s use of provisions of the Mass Rapid Transit Act (大眾捷運法) and the Mass Rapid Transit Land Development Act (大眾捷運系統土地開發辦法) to appropriate land next to the Xiaobitan (小碧潭) MRT station for a connected development project was unconstitutional.

Su said in interviews following the issuance of the interpretation that while the Taipei City Government’s use of the articles was unconstitutional, the MeHAS project that had sparked the case would not be affected by the interpretation, because it did not fit the definition of “neighboring land” to which the ruling was applied, ruling out any appeal to overturn the city government’s appropriation.     [FULL  STORY]

DPP to put forward bill to monitor cross-strait deals

TONING IT DOWN:The DPP’s new proposal is more moderate than previous drafts, as it does not use the word ‘treaty’ which implies country-to-country relations

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 31, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus is likely to put forward a draft bill aimed at monitoring agreements between Taiwan and China, a meeting of party officials and party members said on Tuesday.

“We will not change the title of the bill, retaining the term ‘cross-strait.’ The bill will emphasize the effectiveness of assessing in advance any negotiations with China over bilateral agreements,” DPP Policy Committee deputy executive director Shih Ke-he (施克和) said.

This indicates a more “moderate” version compared with previous DPP proposals that used the word “treaties” — implying that Taiwan and China are two separate countries — a stance that was criticized for not being in accord with the Constitution.

The DPP caucus plans to put the finishing touches to its latest draft tomorrow and if all goes to plan the bill would be proposed in the legislature next week, Shih said.

With the DPP holding a majority in the legislature, the bill is likely to pass.      [FULL  STORY]

MOEA aims to get 10,000 e-buses on road in 10 years

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-30
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said in a statement on Wednesday that it will 6745001keep pushing the development of domestic electric vehicle industry and try to reach the goal of having 10,000 electric buses on the road in the next 10 years.

The government has set forth regulations that require electric buses to pass six performance verification tests to be eligible for government subsidies, the MOEA said.

The tests are electromagnetic compatibility, electrical safety, climbing/hill-holing performance, high-speed cruise performance, cruising endurance performance, and residual capacity alerts, the ministry said.

Currently the performance of electric buses is very close to that of diesel buses and can meet the demand of most bus carriers, thus providing them with more choices, the statement says.

“The MOEA will keep pushing the development of domestic electric vehicle industry and relevant technology, and assist domestic manufacturers to enhance the local content rate (including car batteries, motor, charging stations, automotive electronics, and power management systems, etc.), to strengthen industrial competitiveness, implementing the goals of green industries as well as a low-carbon Taiwan,” the statement says.     [SOURCE]

Coastal pollution clean-up to be completed within 2 months: EPA

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/30
By: Wang Chao-yu and Romulo Huang

Taipei, March 30 (CNA) The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Wednesday 201603300037t0001that it will complete within two months the clean-up of pollution caused by a grounded ship off Taiwan’s northern coast.

The operation for skimming floating oil on the sea will be completed with 5 days, the EPA predicted, adding that the oil on polluted coastal rocks will be cleaned up within 30 days thereafter, and ensuing environmental rehabilitation of the affected area will be take another 25 days.

A group of divers commissioned by the owner of the grounded vessel found on Wednesday that the ship bottom had hit reef rocks and a cobblestone area, the EPA indicated, assuring that the vessel was not in immediate danger of capsizing.

In addition, the ship owner has sent large cranes to the site and has already lifted five containers that had fallen into the sea as of Wednesday. Two other containers are still missing, presumably having sunk to the bottom of the sea, the EPA added.

The divers will conduct another diving mission on Thursday to check the condition of the grounded vessel and to find the missing containers, according to the EPA.     [FULL  STORY]