Want China Times
Editorial
Date: 2015-04-06

As the world is focusing on China’s push for its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB),

Taiwan’s media outlets are covering the possible candidates for the ruling Kuomintang in the 2016 presidential election, Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je’s handling of illegal logging and protests against China’s new M503 flight routes in the Taiwan Strait.

China made impressive progress in the AIIB initiative, given that it only took one year to complete preparatory work after President Xi Jinping first proposed the new international financial institution in October 2013.

Nikkei’s Chinese-language website said in an article rounding up the events of 2014 that the AIIB initiative and China’s nomination as the 2016 host country for the G20 summit showed that countries in the Asia-Pacific region are leaning toward China.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/06
By: Chen Shu-fang and Lilian Wu

Taipei, April 6 (CNA) When Taiwanese return home to pay respects to their ancestors on Tomb

Sweeping Day, most rely on the train, ferry or plane to make the trip.

But for Huang Ting-fang (黃廷芳), director of Feng Yuan Hospital’s Department of Dentistry in Taichung, none of those modes of transportation were suitable because he was looking for something a little more challenging.

He opted instead to run home by taking part in the Trans Taiwan Ultra-Marathon (緃貫台灣國際級馬拉松賽), an eight-day, 560-km journey run starting from Fukuichiao Lighthouse (富貴角燈塔) in Keelung in northern Taiwan to Eluanbi Lighthouse (鵝鑾鼻燈塔) at Taiwan’s southernmost tip in Huang’s native Pingtung County.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/04/05
By: Jeffrey Wu

Taipei, April 5 (CNA) Taiwan is a noted destination for world-class gourmet food and such a

good place to live that one German expatriate gave up a high paid position to return, according to a report published Sunday by the China Times.

“Taiwan, I’m back!” said Angelika Hilger (賀安琪), who was appointed marketing director of German luxury-car maker Audi AG’s Taiwan branch on March 9.

Hilger served in the same position when Audi Taiwan was established in March 2009 until she was promoted to head of customer experience at Audi’s German headquarters in 2012. On leaving, Hilger took an electric rice cooker made by Tatung Co. (大同) back to Germany with her, where she hoped to cook her own Taiwanese food, the newspaper said.     [FULL  STORY]

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

Hotels in Yilan county in northeastern Taiwan are offering special discounts and packages to

attract people visiting the county’s annual Green Expo, which kicked off on March 28 and runs through May 17.

The Green Expo, being held in the Wulaoken River Valley, is aimed at raising awareness of environmental protection, promoting a green lifestyle, and encouraging the integration of a green life with local customs.

A total of 5 million people attended the event between 2000, when it was launched, and 2014, and high attendance is expected again in 2015 when the Green Expo showcases aquatic ecosystems, rural landscapes, and traditional farm villages under the theme Green Miracle — The New Generation of Agriculture.     [FULL  STORY]

Want China Times
Date: 2015-04-05
By: Chang Ching

Former US officials and scholars have recently stated their views on the cross-strait policy of

the candidate most likely to win Taiwan’s presidential election in 2016, Tsai Ing-wen of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party. Tsai in response has been nonchalant regarding their suggestions.

Deliberately disregarding questions raised by the United States could possibly whip up another round of “giving up Taiwan” rhetoric, however. Support for the idea of abandoning Taiwan to focus on US-China relations has arisen due to changes in the international strategic environment and because Washington and Beijing have found common interests, reducing the weight of the “Taiwan issue” in bilateral relations.

“The Giving up Taiwan” rhetoric can first be attributed to Harvard professor Joseph Nye, who wrote an article in the Washington Post in 1998 supporting the “one country, two systems” approach for the unification of China.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 05, 2015
By: Lii Wen  /  Staff reporter

People pose at the Hebaoshan Tung Blossom Park in Yunlin’s Gukeng Township yesterday to

mark the beginning of the Yunlin County Tung Blossom Festival.  Photo: Huang Shu-lee, Taipei Times

Thousands of visitors are expected to climb mountain trails to admire tung tree blossoms after the launch of the Hakka Tung Blossom Festival yesterday.

The annual festival celebrates white tung blossoms — often described as “April snow” or “May snow” — and the cultural heritage of Taiwan’s Hakka community, which makes up about 15 percent of the population.     [FULL  STORY]

Blue Ribbon News
Date: April 4, 2015

GARLAND, TX (April 4, 2015) Nine Garland ISD students, two administrators and one alumna recently had the opportunity to reciprocate an international exchange hosted by the district two years ago.  Thanks to the district’s partnership with the Dallas-Fort Worth Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, the hometown group enjoyed an enlightening trip to Taiwan’s Luzhu District March 3-12.

“The rich educational experiences of this trip will never be forgotten or duplicated,” said Parsons Prekindergarten School Principal and participant James Howard. “These students have been exposed to an entirely different way of life, and I believe it has changed all of us for the better.”     [FULL  STORY]