Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-19
By: Chia Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

An American B-52 bomber last week flew near a Chinese artificial island in

China complains about U.S. airspace breach in South China Sea. Central News Agency ()

the South China Sea. Navy Commander Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the flight was not intentional.
An American B-52 bomber last week flew near a Chinese artificial island in the South China Sea. Navy Commander Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the flight was not intentional.

“There was no intention of flying within 12 nautical miles of any feature,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has made official diplomatic complaint with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

The incident took place last week near the Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly Island, disputed territory claimed by China and several of its neighbors, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/19
By: Chen Wei-ting and Kay Liu

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) Airlines and hotels are two sectors in Taiwan that

The Taipei Marriott Hotel.

have expanded with the growth of foreign visitors, the number of which is set to reach over 10 million this year.

The annual number of foreign visitors to Taiwan has grown from over 3 million between 2005 and 2008 to 9.91 million last year, according to statistics of the Tourism Bureau.

On Friday, the bureau forecast that Taiwan is expected to welcome its 10 millionth visitor for the year Sunday morning.

Dick Lin (林明月), chief financial officer of the FIH Regent Group, said Taiwan’s registering of the year’s 10 millionth visitor is good news for the hotel industry, which will see growing business as a result.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-18
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Talk show host Clara Chou was indicted for

Talk show host charged with defamation. Central News Agency

aggravated defamation Friday over her allegations that President Ma Ying-jeou accepted NT$200 million (US$6 million) from controversial food producer Ting Hsin International.

Ting Hsin is the company at the center of numerous accusations concerning the adulteration of cooking oil with ingredients unfit for human consumption. Chou herself has been no stranger to controversy, already facing legal action over her allegations of illegal political donations by one of the country’s top tycoons.

At the conclusion of its investigation, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office judged that her accusations against senior figures such as Ma and Ting Hsin were unfounded and not based on any evidence, so it decided to file charges against her Friday.

Last December, Chou used talk shows and websites to make various comments about Ting Hsin, saying former presidential secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang had dubious relations with the company, while financier Benny Hu was close to both the corporation and to the president. Several of the people she mentioned filed legal action against her, resulting in Friday’s indictments.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/18
By: Wen Kuei-hsiang and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) The Legislative Yuan on Friday passed a patient

Legislators Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇, left), Yang Yu-hsin (楊玉欣, center)

self-determination act, giving patients in Taiwan the right to stop treatment in five clinical situations at the end of their lives.

The five clinical conditions to which the law applies are terminal patients; patients with irreversible comas; patients in a persistent vegetative state; patients with advanced dementia; and patients with other conditions categorized as incurable.

The act, said to be the first in its kind in Asia, will be promulgated three years after its announcement, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.

The act stipulates that the patient can decide in advance or after consultations with doctors to refuse end-of-life care when facing the five conditions.      [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: December 18, 2015

The recent decision by the World Trade Organization to expand its

Leading Taiwan ICT exports such as touch screens are set to tap a bigger share of the global market under the WTO’s enlarged Information Technology Agreement. (UDN)

Information Technology Agreement was welcomed Dec. 17 by the ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Set to take effect July 1, 2016, at the earliest, the deal eliminates tariffs on 201 IT products with projected international trade of more than US$1.3 trillion a year, or 10 percent of the global total. The regime will be implemented in four stages over seven years.

Agreed by 24 members during the WTO’s 10th Ministerial Conference the day before in Nairobi, the agreement also contains commitment to tackling nontariff barriers in the sector. It is the first significant tariff-cutting deal concluded by the international trade body since 1996.

“As a major exporter of information and communications technology products, Taiwan will benefit tremendously from the landmark pact,” an official from the MOEA Office of Trade Negotiations said.     [FULL  STORY]

Enjoy an Old Fashioned or a cinnamon-flavored Christmas drink built to spec at Alchemy, Taipei’s first speakeasy, this winter

Taipei Times
Date:  Dec 19, 2015
By: Dana Ter  /  Staff reporter

Angus Zou (鄒斯傑) seems very comfortable with interviews as he leans

A blend of Maraschino (Italian cherry liqueur), Angostura 1919 rum, lime juice, syrup and bitters, the Beginning of Prohibition boasts a strong, stingy cherry taste.
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
Warning: Excessive consumption of alcohol can damage your health.

forward effortlessly in the off-burgundy leather chair he’s reclining in to hand me a name card.

The card is simple and black with the name of the bar — Alchemy — etched on it, and the address printed in gold. Below the address is the word “reservations” followed by a number to dial.

Donning a maroon dress shirt and a form-fitting gray vintage vest, Zou says the reservation system is to follow, as close as possible, the proper protocol of 1920s-era speakeasy bars in the US. When he opened Alchemy — which is arguably Taiwan’s first speakeasy-type establishment — in 2012 after years of working at big-name bars such as Barcode and Marquee, Zou wanted to keep it as low-key as possible. In the three years since, nearly every Taiwan-centered blog has touted this “hidden haunt” and Zou’s incredible mixology skills. He doesn’t like crowds, but he has over 1,000 followers on Facebook. No wonder he’s a little jaded about interviews.

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-17
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Democratic Progressive Party chairwoman and presidential candidate Tsai

Tsai meets audio fair exhibitors. Central News Agency

Ing-wen Thursday met a crowd of welcoming exhibitors at the opening of the Taipei Audio Fair 2015, promising to promote development of Taiwan’s audiovisual and music industry if elected president.

Taipei Electrical Commercial Association chairperson Liao Chuan-ping called Tsai “my most respected President” during his opening address, and offered her best wishes for winning the election with highest votes.

While taking group photos, Tsai and many exhibitors all made the V sigh hand gesture to signify number 2, which is Tsai’s ballot number for the election.

Tsai said that even though Taiwan has a good foundation in the audio industry, the country should continue to help the industry build their own brands.     [FULL  STORY]