Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-06
By: Chang Kuo-wei and Staff Reporter

Greater Kaohsiung’s 205th Armory is said to be producing firearms for the US as a mean

of diplomacy, reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.

The 205th Armory specializes in producing small arms, ammunition, and powder arms. They not only provided 500 million 5.56mm and 7.62mm bullets for US troops during the Iraq War but also began producing rifle bullets in 2006. Besides these three bullets producing lines, they also have three brass shell producing lines, three bullet assembly lines, and a packing line.

At the moment, 100 million bullets are the most they produce annually after American troops left Iraq. The company also assembles rifles with materials shipped over from the US.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-06
By: CNA

Taipei ranks 16th among the 132 cities listed in the 2015 MasterCard Global

Destination Cities Index, and the capital city is projected to receive 6.6 million international tourists in 2015, an increase of 2.5% from the 2014 total of 6.4 million.

Since 2009, MasterCard has ranked cities in terms of the number of their total international overnight visitor arrivals and the cross-border spending by these same visitors in the destination cities and gives visitor and passenger growth forecasts, based on data analysis of the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund.

According the MasterCard study, in the Asia-Pacific region, in terms of the number of 2014 international overnight visitor arrivals, Taipei ranks 11th in the world, and 6th in the Asia-Pacific region. Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Hong Kong welcomed more international tourists than Taipei did.

In terms of international tourists spending in 2014, Taipei ranked 11th in the world, and fifth in the Asia-Pacific region. Last year, international tourists in Taipei spent US$9.3 billion, down 2.3% as compared with the 2013 total of US$9.5 billion. International visitors to Asia spent more in Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/06
By: Chou Hui-ying and Lilian Wu

Beijing, June 6 (CNA) More than 100 documents handwritten by late Republic of China President Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) were sold for a total of 17.83 million yuan (US$2.87 million) at a Beijing auction recently.

The 140 documents were dated January 1935 to February 1945 and covered the period of the second Sino-Japanese war (1937-1945), according to Chinese media.

The documents had been in the possession of descendants of Chiang’s chief aide Chien Ta-chun (錢大鈞), the reports said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 07, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday issued a heavy rain warning for

western and northeastern Taiwan and for mountainous areas in the east and southeast, after a weather front arrived in the nation.

As of 5pm yesterday, Tainan’s Dongshan District (東山) had received 41mm of rainfall for the day, while 37.5mm of rain was deposited in Changhua County’s Sihu Township (溪湖). In New Taipei City, Shulin District (樹林) had recorded 29mm of rainfall, Banciao District (板橋) 28.5mm and Yonghe District (永和) 25.5mm.

Meteorologist Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said the front is expected to remain over Taiwan today, continuing to bring heavy rain, but that the wet weather is set to ease tomorrow, after the front leaves.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-06-05
By: CNA

Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou said Wednesday that the United States has suggested

that Taiwan use the US-South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) as a model in its preparations for joining the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade bloc.

Taiwan has been upping its efforts to push for its TPP bid since last year, he said, adding that “we have been advised by the US government that we could use the US-Korea FTA as a model for our participation.”

He made the remarks in a question-and-answer session during a video conference with Stanford University, in response to questions about Taiwan’s hopes of joining the proposed trade bloc led by the US.

The TPP is being negotiated by the US and 11 other countries, which are all Taiwan’s trading partners, he said. Bilateral trade between Taiwan and the 12 countries account for about 35% of Taiwan’s foreign trade, meaning a total of US$200 billion per year, he added.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/05
By: Liu Li-jung and Lillian Lin

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou instructed government agencies to provide comprehensive information to people traveling abroad and reinforce entry inspection and quarantine, as more cases of infections from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) have been reported in South Korea.

Speaking at a national security meeting he called on Friday, Ma also directed medical institutions in Taiwan to adopt prevention and control measures.

Officials of 14 ministries and agencies responsible for health and welfare, foreign affairs, interior affairs, communications, national defense, education, immigration, tourism, and police administration were present.

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 06, 2015
By: Staff writer, with CNA

7-Eleven, the nation’s biggest convenience store chain, on Thursday said the manager

of a store in Changhua County meant no offense when he insisted on barring two guide dogs from entry out of sanitary concerns.

The manager had overreacted, but meant no harm, the chain said.

The manager requested that the two dogs stay outside the store because customers had complained about allowing dogs in, the chain said.

The company promised to better train store personnel and said that it welcomed guide dogs into its convenience stores.

The statement came after a guide dog trainer surnamed Lai (賴) wrote on Facebook about his encounter on Wednesday, saying that the manager asked him to remove the two guide dogs he had brought into a 7-Eleven in Changhua on Tuesday.     [FULL  STORY][