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Controversy over Lien’s presence at WWII parade in Beijing continues

Want China Times
Date: 2015-09-04
By: CNA

Former Taiwanese vice president and honorary chair of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang Lien Chan has concluded his trip to Beijing after attending a massive military parade aimed at celebrating the 70th anniversary of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, but the controversy over his China visit has not stopped there.

KMT chair Eric Chu said Lien’s case will be turned over to the party’s disciplinary committee for review.

Chu stated that the stance of the government and the KMT is identical, which is to stick to the historical facts that the Nationalist government led the campaign against Japanese aggression and scored the final victory.

The KMT had asked current officials not to attend the parade, Chu said, adding that the action to be taken after the party heavyweight attended the parade will be left for the disciplinary committee to decide. Lien served as KMT chairman from 2000-2005.

“The KMT is a democratic party and those with different views will be sent to committees, such as the disciplinary and central standing committees, for discussion,” Chu said.     [FULL  STORY]

Tsai hopeful on Chinese intent after military cuts

NOT LYING DOWN:The Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate said that she has no plans to take a break from campaigning like her opponents

Taipei Times
Date:}  Sep 05, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber  /  Staff reporter, with CNA

China’s military personnel cuts will not necessarily reduce its might, Democratic

Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen, center, joins performers on stage in Taipei yesterday to perform a song from her campaign album. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen, center, joins performers on stage in Taipei yesterday to perform a song from her campaign album. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) earlier this week announced that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would reduce personnel by 300,000.

Tsai said that while the cuts would not necessarily reduce China’s military power, she took note of the Chinese government’s declaration that the PLA would not seek hegemony.

She said she hoped that China would sincerely work with other nations to maintain regional peace and stability, adding that strengthening Taiwan’s armed forces was still necessary to protect the nation’s security, democracy and way of life.     [FULL  STORY]

Republic of China emblem listed on U.S. WWII commemoration website

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/09/04

Washington, Sept. 3 (CNA) Despite Beijing’s protest, the Republic of China

From the website of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial

From the website of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial

(ROC) national emblem has been listed on the official website of a U.S. non-profit group dedicated to ensuring that the legacy, lessons, and sacrifices of World War II are not forgotten.

On the website of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial, the ROC emblem is among the list of the Allies that contributed to the victory in the Pacific Theater of WWII. The ROC is the formal name of Taiwan.

The listing of the ROC emblem came after an event co-hosted by the group and the U.S. National Park Service on Wednesday in Washington to commemorate the Allied Forces victory in the Pacific and the end of WWII.

In a highly symbolic move, Taiwan’s representative to the United States Shen Lyu-shun (沈呂巡) attended the event, during which he joined World War II veterans and representatives of the U.S. and the Pacific Theater Allies in laying wreaths at the “Freedom Wall” of the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall.

The wreath presented by Shen was decorated with ribbons printed with the Republic of China national emblem. This demonstrates the U.S.’s respect for the ROC and for its historical role in the war, observers said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taroko music festival to feature U-Theatre

Want China Times
Date: 2015-09-04
By: CNA

The Taroko Music Festival in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien county will be held Oct.

A U-Theatre performance in Kuala Lumpur, March 16, 2014. (File photo/U-Theatre)

A U-Theatre performance in Kuala Lumpur, March 16, 2014. (File photo/U-Theatre)

17-18 this year, featuring performances by U-Theatre, according to the organizer.

U-Theatre, known for its unique combination of drumming, Zen meditation and martial arts, will perform pieces including Da Shen Gu, Breaker, Rainstorm and Heart of Sword during the festival, the Taroko National Park Headquarters said Thursday.

The annual festival will take place at the Taroko Terrace in Taroko National Park, which is known for its deep marble canyons.

U-Theatre last performed at the festival in 2004. Yang Mo-lin, head of the park headquarters, said the music festival creates a unique opportunity for listeners to enjoy music surrounded by nature and that he hopes the beauty of the music will draw more visitors to the park.

Candidates wooing voters with range of campaign items

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 04, 2015
By: Chang Tsun-wei and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Legislative candidates from the nation’s two biggest parties are starting to step

A member of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidate Chen Chien-ko’s campaign staff yesterday displays a two-in-one bottle opener and key ring, designed by her campaign team in Taitung County. Photo: Chang Tsun-wei, Taipei Times

A member of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidate Chen Chien-ko’s campaign staff yesterday displays a two-in-one bottle opener and key ring, designed by her campaign team in Taitung County. Photo: Chang Tsun-wei, Taipei Times

up election campaign efforts across the nation in the run-up to January’s polls.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Chien-ko’s (陳建閣) campaign office has designed items to help remind voters in Taitung County of Chen’s efforts.

The office said it has designed traditional items to give out, such as fans, pens and packets of tissues, adding that Chen’s wife, Cheng Chen-yun (鄭晨芸), commissioned a keychain that doubles as a can opener and features a plastic doll of Chen.

We hope this tool will help bring the people closer to the candidate, the office said, adding that the keychain can be used as a decorative item, for example to be hung on a bag.     [FULL  STORY]

China building two aircraft carriers: Taiwan defense ministry report

Yahoo News
Reuters
Date: September 3, 2015
By: J.R. Wu

TAIPEI (Reuters) – China is building two aircraft carriers that will be the same size as its sole carrier, a 60,000-tonne refurbished Soviet-era ship, according to a new Taiwanese Defence Ministry report on the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Little is known about China’s aircraft carrier program, which is a state secret, although Chinese state media have hinted new vessels are being built. The Pentagon, in a report earlier this year, said Beijing could build multiple aircraft carriers over the next 15 years.

One of the new vessels is being built in Shanghai and the other in the northeastern city of Dalian, said the Taiwanese report, which was obtained by Reuters.

It gave no estimate for when construction would be finished.     [FULL  STORY]

Dengue fever shows no sign of relenting, cases reach 4,343

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-03
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The dengue fever outbreak is showing no sign of relenting as the number of

Dengue fever cases reach 4,343. Central News Agency

Dengue fever cases reach 4,343. Central News Agency

dengue cases nationwide has reached 4,343 since May, according to Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) on Thursday.

The last recorded figure on August 31 was 3,446, a sharp increase of nearly a thousand newly contracted cases in the span of just two days.

Tainan is the city worst hit by the mosquito-borne disease, with current stats of 3,825 cases this year, a surge from 3,003 since Monday.

In the latest statistics provided by health authorities, Pingtung County already witnessed 18 patients suffering from the disease, followed by 13 in New Taipei, 10 in Taichung, seven in Taoyuan, six in Hsinchu County, and four in Chiayi County. Taipei City also saw two cases of dengue patients last month.     [FULL  STORY]

Hung Hsiu-chu to resume presidential campaign next week

Hung Hsiu-chu, the presidential candidate of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, will

Hung Hsiu-chu gives a press conference, Sept. 1. (Photo/CNA)

Hung Hsiu-chu gives a press conference, Sept. 1. (Photo/CNA)

“absolutely run the full course of her campaign,” a spokeswoman said Thursday, adding that Hung will be back on her campaign trail next week.

Wang Hung-wei made the comments at a press conference after Hung announced late the previous day that she would suspend her campaign for an unspecified period to undergo self-reflection, sparking speculation that she might withdraw from the race.

The presidential election will be held Jan. 16, 2016 alongside legislative elections.

Taiwan to test-fire PAC-3 missiles in US

A SAFE DISTANCE:The US rejected a previous request to test-fire the missiles at a Taiwanese military base, likely because of the greater threat of Chinese espionage

Taipei Times
Date: Sep 04, 2015
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jason Pan  /  Staff reporters

The Ministry of National Defense is to go ahead with its plan to test-fire its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles at a US base in New Mexico in July next year.

The plan calls for the ministry to send units from the Air Defense Missile Command to the US for operating, launching, flight surveillance, target interception and other tests of the PAC-3 system.

Under the current planning, about 40 military personnel from the Air Defense Missile Command will go to the US White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico for training and to carry out the tests, a high-level defense ministry official said.     [FULL  STORY]

Meat traders indicted over fake mutton

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-09-02
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Two meat traders were indicted Wednesday for having sold fake mutton mixed in with water or with other meat products to 66 clients all over Taiwan.

The scam, which was discovered by Kaohsiung prosecutors last year, involved 182,000 tons of mutton which was sold over 11 months to a variety of businesses, including hotpot restaurants and nightmarket stallholders.

The practice came to light after a diner complained that the mutton he had been served tasted like pork, reports said. The investigation found pork DNA in the meat.     [FULL  STORY]