Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-25
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Legislator Huang Kuo-chang was re-elected chairman of the New Power Party Friday.

The party, which emerged from the 2014 Sunflower Movement, failed to elect a new leader on March 15 because at least three members of its seven-member leadership committee were absent.

All seven members were present Friday to vote for a chairman, and they decided to give Huang, an Academia Sinica scholar, a second term. He said the group would cooperate closely and work on the formation of eight special committees. The new leadership of the NPP would consist of the seven leadership committee members and the chairpersons of the eight new committees, Huang said.

The members of the leadership group are Huang, fellow legislators Freddy Lim and Kawlo Iyun Pacidal, writer Neil Peng, movie director Ko I-chen, legal reform activist Lin Feng-cheng and writer Lin Shih-yu.

The NPP won five seats in the January 16 elections, three in district seats and two from its at-large list decided by votes for a political party.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/25
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Y.F. Low

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) promised Friday to give “priority consideration” to an invitation from Panama for her to attend the inauguration ceremony of the expanded Panama Canal on June 26.

Tsai made the pledge during a meeting with Panama’s ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan), Alfredo Martiz, who visited her at Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters to deliver the invitation to her in person, the DPP said in a statement.

Martiz told Tsai that the ROC is one of Panama’s oldest diplomatic allies, with the two countries sharing the common values of democracy and freedom, according to the statement.

Martiz said he was extending the invitation to Tsai on behalf of Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela.

In response, Tsai said she appreciated the invitation and pledged that even though the opening ceremony comes just one month after she takes office she would give it “priority consideration.”     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: March 24, 2016

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said March 23 that Taiping Island is an island from all

perspectives, and claims by the Philippines government in an international arbitration tribunal that it is a rock are groundless and without merit.

“Taiping Island can sustain human habitation, has an economic life of its own and fully meets the definition of an island as laid out in Article 121 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Ma said.

“In addition to 12 nautical miles of territorial waters, the ROC is entitled to claim a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and a continental shelf.”

The president made the remarks while addressing members of the international media at ROC Air Force Songshan Base Command upon their return from a one-day trip to Taiping Island in the South China Sea arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Ma, Taiping Island possesses rich natural resources such as fertile soil, fresh water and diverse flora and fauna, with documented history of human activity dating from centuries ago.     [FULL  STORY]

RETROACTIVE:Changes to the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act are to be retroactive to Aug. 6 last year to include those affect by Typhoon Soudelor

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 26, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

The amendments proposed to the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act (災害防救法)

cleared the Legislative Yuan yesterday, entitling victims of natural disasters to a variety of of financial support and exemptions. Also amended yesterday was an article of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) for the advancement of Aboriginal rights.

In the wake of the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that shook Tainan on Feb. 6 and claimed 117 lives, the amendment bill was proposed and passed the third reading yesterday.

The amended law broadens terms to include damage caused by soil liquefaction, radiation and industrial pipelines.

According to the amended act, policyholders of farmers’ health insurance, the national pension, labor insurance and employment insurance are to be entitled to government support for a certain period of time if affected by natural disasters
Any co-payments for medical treatment, meals at medical facilities and premiums paid by National Health Insurance policyholders are to be shouldered by the government as well, with the help of private donations.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-24
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Legislative Speaker Su Chia-chyuan on Thursday visited Belgian Office in

Taipei to express his condolences and sympathy over the Brussels attacks, which took away 34 lives and left over 200 people injured.

Su met with Rik Van Droogenbroeck, the director of the Belgian Office in Taipei Thursday, and said that the hearts of all Taiwanese people go out to the Belgian people affected by this terrible tragedy.

Meanwhile, in response to a statement by Indonesian government official claiming that Indonesian migrant workers in Asian democratic countries such as Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong may be targeted by the Islamic State (IS) for recruitment, Su said that while there has been no terrorist attacks in Taiwan, the national security units should stay on alert and focus on collecting intelligence and information to better prepare and keep the nation safe.

In the meantime, there is no need to panic, said Su, given that migrant workers are required to undergo layers of scrutiny before being allowed to work in Taiwan.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/24
By: Tai Ya-chen and Kay Liu

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) The public has no need to too worry about reports

that the Islamic State (IS) is recruiting Indonesians working in the Asia-Pacific region, Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said Thursday.

The government will enhance its review of foreign candidates seeking to work in Taiwan and improve intelligence gathering to ensure national security, Sun said in a press briefing.

He also urged the public not to overreact, so that foreign workers, including migrant workers, can more easily adapt to their lives in Taiwan.

Sun’s remarks came after media reports surfaced in Taiwan, citing Nusron Wahid, head of Indonesia’s Bureau for the Placement and Protection of Foreign Workers, as saying on March 20 that he knew of two Indonesian workers in South Korea who had joined IS.

The Indonesian official also said that some Indonesian workers in Taiwan and Hong Kong were known to wear IS badges or other symbols of the terrorist organization.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: March 24, 2016

The winners of the Show Taiwan in One Second competition organized by

ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs were recognized at a ceremony March 23 in Taipei City.

Featuring 920 clips up to 10 seconds in duration, the two month competition concluding Feb. 29 attracted submissions from everyday people on the most interesting aspects of their lives. A total of 20 clips by 15 recipients were selected as finalists.

Manfred P. T. Peng, director-general of the MOFA’s Department of International Information Services, praised the diversity of the submissions and said when viewed together, they tell the story of Taiwan. “This vivid imagery is special in that it is shaped by the people and serves as an truthful snapshot of life on our island.”

According to Peng, this form of engagement with society strengthens Taiwan’s soft power and enables it to stand out on the international stage.

All of the submissions were reviewed by a three-member judging panel. One of the participants was Kurt Lu, a creative talent who garnered headlines earlier this year as the brains behind ROC President-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s Internet and TV election campaign advertisements.     [FULL  STORY]