Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-26
By: Taiwan News, Staff Writer

More than 10,000 chickens were culled Saturday at a farm in Changhua,

central Taiwan, after it was reported that chickens at the facility were infected with the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu virus.

Tung Meng-chi, chief of the Animal Disease Control Center of Changhua County, said it was not the first time the chicken farm had reported an avian flu outbreak.

The farm reported an outbreak in April and had its chickens culled, and the farm and surrounding areas were disinfected. The farm began to raise chickens again in September.

Tung said the center suspected that the virus was left over from the previous outbreak, but added that the possibility of migratory birds or personnel and vehicles bringing in the virus also could not be ruled out. He said that as migratory birds come to Taiwan to spend the winter, farm owners should be on guard against further outbreaks of avian influenza.

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/26
By: Wang Chao-yu and Lilian Wu

Taipei , Dec. 26 (CNA) A northern Taiwan park that recreated Vincent Van Gogh’s painting “Starry Night” on a massive scale using more than 4 million discarded PET bottles began a trial run Saturday.

Wang Chih-chin (王志欽), a spokesman for the Embrace Cultural and Creative Park (擁恆文創園區), said the Keelung-based park will start to charge NT$100 (US$3.04) for adults and NT$50 for children, students and senior citizens from the following day.

The opening hours will be 10 a.m. through 9 p.m., with a free shuttle service provided at Badu railway station, he said.

Unison Developing Co. (國統集團), which owns the park, said that the NT$90 million creation is aimed at expressing the ideas of environmental protection, the arts and therapy.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-25
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Wei Chuan Foods Corporation said Friday it would

sue nine Internet users for allegedly spreading false rumors about its Lin Feng Ying dairy brand.

Wei Chuan is part of the Ting Hsin International Group, which has been the focus of consumer boycotts over scandals involving the use of animal-feed oil in cooking oils for human consumption.

Wei Chuan said it was asking its attorneys to file defamation suits with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office against the holders of nine online accounts, which it named in a list Friday.

The company said its decision to take legal action was unrelated to the latest consumer boycotts, though it accused the netizens of spreading old rumors about Lin Feng Ying brands being “chemical” dairy products with additives which meant they could not go bad.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/26
By: Lilian Wu

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Friday that she will abide by the Republic of China constitutional system and rely on democratic principles and the greatest possible public consensus to promote her China policy.

Tsai, considered a virtual shoo-in to win the Jan. 16 presidential election, also said that she was willing to discuss different options and do her best to “seek methods of exchanges acceptable to both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”

She was speaking in the first televised forum for presidential candidates to present their political positions held Friday night.

Elaborating on the DPP’s advocacy of “maintaining the status quo” in relations with China, she said the DPP’s version was different from that of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: December 25, 2015

The upcoming edition of the Taipei International Book Exhibition will feature

Hungary as the theme nation and focus on the central European country’s rich cultural heritage, according to the Ministry of Culture Dec. 23.

Arranged around the theme of “Freedom Love,” the event will pay tribute to Hungarian poet and revolutionist Sandor Petofi and will feature literary works and traditional handicrafts, in addition to animation screenings, folk dances, puppetry performances and talks hosted by renowned Hungarian writers.

“TIBE has become the most important book fair in Asia and a key platform showcasing Taiwan’s cultural and literary spirit while promoting global exchanges and interactions,” MOC Deputy Minister Tsai Ping-kun said during a press conference.

Also attending the event, Nikolett Egeni, Hungarian deputy representative to Taiwan, said TIBE’s selection of her country is particularly significant as 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-24
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Some supporters of the Kuomintang could

vote for other parties for at-large seats at the Legislative Yuan, commentators said Thursday.

On January 16, each voter will have three ballots, one for a presidential candidate, one for a directly elected local legislator, and one for a list of at-large legislative candidates proposed by a political party.

Because of internal divisions, KMT supporters might on the one hand cast their ballot for the party’s presidential candidate and local legislator, but they might pick another party for the at-large list, reports said.     [FULL  STORY]