Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-04
By: CNA

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport said Monday that will install two

double-deck jet bridges this month for use by A380 aircraft, a double-deck jetliner manufactured by Airbus and currently the world’s largest passenger airliner.

The jetways are currently undergoing pre-installation testing and will be installed at the C2 and D6 gates of Terminal 2 later this month, the airport said.

The installation of the jetways follows the completion of an improvement project on the airport’s southern runway to meet the take-off and landing standards of A380 aircraft.

A number of air carriers, including China Southern Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, have indicated that they plan to fly A380 aircraft to Taiwan, according to the airport.     [FULL  STORY]

NEUTRALITY:The Mainland Affairs Council defended the six officials, as they were not traveling on public funds, but the minister of civil service said the trip was inappropriate

Taipei Times
Date: May 05, 2015
By: Chen Yen-ting and Jake Chung  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Opposition legislators yesterday said that the six government officials in

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) delegation to China for this year’s Shanghai Cross-Strait Economic and Cultural Forums are violating administrative neutrality.

At the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said that the officials were incapable of distinguishing between party loyalty and their duty to the nation, accusing them of defying Article 8 of the Public Servants’ Administrative Neutrality Act (公務人員行政中立法).

Article 8 stipulates that public servants must not use powers, opportunities or methods granted by their office to aid or benefit political parties or other political groups of political candidates, nor accede to their requests, accept bribes in any form or donate in their interests.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-03
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

If Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan wants to put its proposed amendments to the

Constitution to the vote in a referendum on Jan. 16 next year, when the country holds its next presidential and legislative elections, it will need to submit its proposals in mid-June, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng said Saturday.

Wang noted that in response to public expectations of constitutional reforms, the legislature has formed a commission to handle constitutional reform proposals put forward by various political parties.

He noted that a timetable has been drawn up after discussions with the Ministry of the Interior, the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the whips of various parties.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/05/03
By: Christie Chen

Taipei, May 3 (CNA) An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter Scale struck

parts of eastern and northern Taiwan at 9:9 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

The earthquake’s epicenter was located at sea about 81.9 kilometers east of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 25.8 km, the bureau said.

The strongest tremors, which had intensity readings of 2 on Taiwan’s 0-7 seismic intensity scale, were felt in Nanao and Yilan City in Yilan County, while in Taipei and New Taiwan, the quake’s intensity was 1.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-03
By: CNA

Eric Chu, chair of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, expressed hope on Sunday that

Taiwan will play a greater role in the global community based on the 1992 Consensus between Taiwan and China.

Speaking at the 10th Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Shanghai, Chu said he expects Taiwan to perform a bigger role if it can join the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the “Belt and Road” initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade bloc.

Despite Taiwan’s smaller scale in economy, land and population, Taiwan still holds strengths in innovation, research and development and management experience, allowing it to make substantial contribution to regional economic development through its cooperation with China, Chu said.     [FULL  STORY]

‘INADEQUATE’:Songshan Tree Protection Volunteer Union head Yu Yi said that the group’s right to protest was legally protected by the freedom of speech

Taipei Times
Date: May 04, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

Amid rising safety concerns related to the Taipei Dome project, the Songshan

Tree Protection Volunteer Union yesterday called on Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to adopt a bolder stance in negotiations with Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) about the controversial Taipei Dome project, while reasserting that it would continue its campaign until the project is terminated.

Union director Yu Yi (游藝) yesterday said regarding recent remarks by Ko about the project that the Taipei City Government should give up its “flip-flop” stance and announce a plan to demolish the Taipei Dome.

He said that construction of the structure has fallen seriously behind schedule and caused obvious land subsidence in areas surrounding the construction site — both of which Yu said are evidence of Farglory’s “poor work” and solid points that would help the city government win possible lawsuits filed by Farglory if Ko decides to invalidate the company’s contract.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-05-02
By: CNA

Taiwanese scholars attended an annual science and technology forum

organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for the first time to share with their counterparts information on Taiwan’s technology and industrial development.

Lee Shih-Kuang, a professor at the Institute of Applied Mechanics of National Taiwan University, led a delegation of seven members to the April 30-May 1 forum on the invitation of the AAAS.

Invited to speak on the final day of the forum Friday, Lee elaborated on Taiwan’s experience in its industrial development and the role played by Taiwan’s government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in spearheading the process.     [FULL  STORY]