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Ma lauds Taiwan’s biomedical development

Taiwan Today
Date: February 5, 2016

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said Feb. 4 that the government is

President Ma Ying-jeou (right) greets winners of the National Biotechnology and Medical Care Quality Awards at the Presidential Office Feb. 4 in Taipei City. (CNA)

ramping up efforts to develop Taiwan’s biotechnology and medical care sectors, eyeing NT$4 trillion (US$120.4 billion) in total production by 2025.

“Biotechnology is set to become a major growth engine for the local economy in the years ahead, building on Bio Taiwan Committee’s comprehensive promotion plan spanning areas like agriculture, food, health care, medical instruments and pharmaceuticals,” Ma said.

“Capitalizing on cross-sector integration provided by such initiatives as the Taiwan Biotechnology Take-off Diamond Action Plan, our biomedicine revenue topped NT$280 billion in 2014, along with 94 public listed companies by the end of last year. [FULL STORY]

Legislative Yuan officials support move to Taichung

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 06, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao and Ou Su-mei / Staff reporters

Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said they support the idea of moving the Legislative Yuan to Taichung.

Tsai was in Taichung yesterday when he told reporters he has raised the idea of relocating the Legislative Yuan to the city many times and it is still with him after becoming deputy legislative speaker.

The relocation of the Legislative Yuan cannot be a matter decided by the legislative speaker and the deputy legislative speaker, but requires a consensus among the caucuses, Tsai said, adding that the new government’s opinion has to be taken into account, as well as government funding for the relocation

“The idea is not to divide Taiwan into regions, but the capital needs to be relieved of its burden,” he said, adding that he also supports national land planning and location planning for government institutions for regional balance. [FULL STORY]

Taipei to introduce new bus routes to ease congestion

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-04
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Taipei Department of Transportation Commissioner Chung Hui-yu clarified Thursday through local radio that Mayor Ko Wen-je did indeed promise to draft new traffic management plans for Neihu within nine months, reports said Thursday.
In June last year, Ko had instructed the department to come up with plans to resolve congestion around Neihu Technology Park. But his statement has since been embellished by the local media saying that the mayor had vowed to solve its traffic problem within nine months.

“The media has misinterpreted Ko’s statement,” she explained during a radio talk show at POP Radio station in Taipei.

The plan will come in three phases, short-term, mid-term and long-term, according to the commissioner. [FULL STORY]

Fans flock to Madonna’s first ever concert in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/04
By: Sabine Cheng and Christie Chen

Taipei, Feb. 4 (CNA) Enthusiastic fans on Thursday flocked to Madonna’s first ever concert in Taiwan, expressing their excitement to finally see the pop legend in person.

Office worker Sam Lin (林聖賢) wore a bright pink dress and hat, which he decorated with fake fruit and other objects, to the “Rebel Heart” concert at the Taipei Arena to pay tribute to the singer, whom Lin had been a fan of for three decades.

The costume, which he made by himself over a period of four months, was modeled after a costume that Madonna wore during her first concert tour in the 1980s, the 42-year-old said.

“Madonna is true to herself and is not afraid to show herself,” Lin said, adding that the singer has had a great impact on him. [FULL STORY]

Line tops III app usage survey in Taiwan

Taiwan Today
Date: February 4, 2016

Line is the most popular social networking app in Taiwan,

Line is the most commonly used social networking app in Taiwan as shown in the results of a national survey conducted by the Institute for Information Industry. (Courtesy of Line Corp.)

according to a survey released Feb. 2 by Taipei City-based Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute under the Institute for Information Industry.

Owned by South Korea’s Naver Corp., Line trumped Facebook, YouTube, WeChat and Instagram, reflecting the popularity of social networking apps with local smartphone users. A total of 80.9 percent of respondents use such apps, followed by 35. 3 percent for mobile games, 31.8 percent for information and news and 30.1 percent for audio-video.

MICI analyst Liu Chia-ping said the results show that social networking apps are an indispensable part of daily life in Taiwan. “They help people stay in touch with their friends and family anywhere and anytime.”

This trend is further illustrated by the fact that 40.1 percent of respondents spend more than 30 minutes per day on social networking apps, while 39.4 percent spend 10 to 30 minutes. In addition, every smartphone user in Taiwan has downloaded 16 apps on average, with six used each day and nine per week. [FULL STORY]

KMT chair vows reform amid criticism of review

REFORM OR BE REFORMED:Acting chairperson Huang Min-hui said reform is a must for the KMT, as its report on its losses was dismissed as cliches offered up by armchair warriors

Taipei Times
Date: Feb 05, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Acting chairperson Huang Min-

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Acting Chairperson Huang Min-hui speaks to the media outside a memorial service for Evergreen Group founder Chang Yung-fa in Taipei yesterday morning. Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times

hui (黃敏惠) yesterday said the party would continue to reflect upon its defeats and solicit opinions from all sides, after the party’s recent report reviewing its disastrous electoral performance drew criticism.

“The KMT once suffered a severe setback in the past and now it has sustained new blows. We must translate talk of reform into action,” Huang said in response to media queries on the sidelines of a memorial service for shipping giant Evergreen Group founder Chang Yung-fa (張榮發) in Taipei yesterday morning.

Huang said she was aware of negative comments on the KMT’s report on its performance in the Jan. 16 elections, released on Wednesday, which has been described as being riddled with cliches and opinions from “people sitting in the office,” rather than actual candidates competing in the races.

“I promise I will continue to engage in self-reflection and to discuss the issue with supporters and grassroots party members. I will work to gather relevant information relentlessly, step-by-step,” Huang said. [FULL STORY]

KMT attributes its election flop to infighting, candidacy change

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-02-03
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Kuomintang outlined a post-election report Wednesday attributing its devastating defeat in the January 16 general elections to political infighting, the military housing scandal, and the change of presidential candidacy.

Due to the absence of its Acting Chairperson Huang Min-hui, the KMT’s Central Standing Committee (CSC) voted committee member Liu Da-bei as its temporary chairman of the day, to mediate a review meeting on post-election results.

The party admitted its failure, saying the outcome “fell short of our party’s expectations and goals.”

Liu said the fact that the KMT won only 46 of the legislative seats (including at-large seats) could be described as a “major setback.”

“We have let supporters down because of our failure to act in unity, marked by internal conflicts and discrepant political policies,” he said, adding that the major element to its landslide defeat was due to the party’s sudden candidacy change, a move deemed by voters as totally “undemocratic.” [FULL STORY]

Agriculture losses from cold spell hit nearly NT$4 billion

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/02/03
By: Yang Shu-min, Elizabeth Hsu and Romulo Huang

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) The agricultural losses resulting from the

CNA file photo

recent cold spell that hit Taiwan last week accumulated to nearly NT$4 billion (US$119.33 million) as of Wednesday, according to updated statistics released by the Council of Agriculture (COA) that day.

Fishery losses were the largest among the sectors affected, the COA said.

The data showed the estimated losses in the segment hit NT$3.16 billion with milkfish, grouper, clams, tilapia, and striped bass being the hardest hit.

Estimated crop losses totaled NT$751.27 million, the COA said, noting that a total of 13,386 hectares of crops were damaged, with bell apples hit the hardest, followed by grapes, pears, tomatoes and strawberries. [FULL STORY]

Su eyes reform measures for ROC Legislative Yuan

Taiwan Today
Date: February 3, 2016

A series of reforms boosting public participation and transparency

ROC Legislative Yuan President Su Jia-chyuan (center) hosts Premier Chang San-cheng (third left) during a visit to the nation’s top lawmaking body Feb. 3 in Taipei City. (CNA)

in the ROC Legislature is under consideration, according to Legislative Yuan President Su Jia-chyuan Feb. 2.

One priority is establishing an online petition for the public to propose new bills, Su said, adding that he aims to float the proposal during the first sitting of the Legislature Feb. 19.

According to Su, the plan forms an essential part of Legislative Yuan reforms aimed at promoting openness and inclusiveness. “We are also opening up to the media interparty consultations, with possible public broadcasting in the pipeline.” [FULL STORY]

Cabinet streamlines policy push to 10

LAST ACTS:The Executive Yuan elected to leave the decision on when to open the airport MRT line and on the Linnei waste incinerator to Tsai’s incoming administration

Taipie Times
Date: Feb 04, 2016
By: Lee Hsin-fang and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

The Executive Yuan yesterday said it would leave decisions on two major projects — the airport mass rapid transit (MRT) line and a waste incinerator in Yunlin County — to the incoming administration, while continuing to promote 10 major policies, including the Taoyuan Aerotropolis.

Premier Simon Chang (張善政) presided over a meeting to discuss 12 major policy items the Cabinet is pushing before turning over power to the new administration on May 20, when president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to assume office.

Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said that participants at the meeting decided that the operation date of the MRT line connecting Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and the Greater Taipei area, and the waste incinerator project at Yunlin County’s Linnei Township (林內) would be left to the new administration.

The Executive Yuan cannot determine whether the airport MRT line would be operational before May 20, Sun said. [FULL STORY]

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