Proposed bill to prioritize US arms delivery to TaiwanStaff writer, with CNA, WASHINGTONUS Senator Dan Sullivan has proposed a bill that would place Taiwan on the US’ priority list for arms sale deliveries, amid reports of a US$19 billion backlog. US Senator Dan Sullivan speaks at a Senate Armed Services hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 7, 2020. Photo: REUTERS“Everyone in Washington agrees that Taiwan is under dire, immediate threat from the Chinese Communist Party,” Sullivan said. Sullivan’s bill, which does not yet have a name, would require the US secretary of defense to “ensure the delivery of defense articles and services to Taiwan ahead of the delivery of substantially similar articles and services to any other foreign military sales customer.”However, the bill states that deliveries to Taiwan must not cause delays in the delivery of similar defense articles or services to Ukraine or Israel. The US government has said disruption to supply chains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and an increased demand for weaponry in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to the slow delivery of arms to Taiwan.

The right candidate to avoid warBy Tommy Lin 林逸民The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is deeply mired in internal discord and is inconsistent on national policies. The Russian invasion of Ukraine offers Taiwanese a glimpse into how voting in the presidential election could increase or decrease the probability of war. At the beginning of the war, Germany believed that Ukraine would lose, and even hoped that this would happen quickly, so the war would end. The outcome of the election should let Xi know that Taiwanese are determined to resist China and are prepared for war. If Taiwanese are terrified of the prospect of war, it is clear whom they should vote for.

‘Peaceful reunification’ a CCP trapBy Tzou Jiing-wen 鄒景雯The 15th Straits Forum opened on Friday last week in Xiamen in China’s Fujian Province, with invitations sent out to Taiwan’s opposition parties. The Chinese government has repeatedly said it would strive to achieve “peaceful reunification,” but it has also not promised to renounce the use of force. This can be interpreted as “peaceful reunification” being China’s highest strategic goal, while “reunification by force” is a tactical application — a point borne out by decades of historical reality. However, since the 20th Congress, the dividing line in Xi’s thought about “peaceful reunification” and “reunification by force” might be a matter of whether the PLA is ready to use the second option. To deal with Taiwan after “peaceful reunification,” it would doubtless follow the model it has used in Xinjiang and Tibet — and it would come as no surprise if it acted even more harshly.

Gas explosion kills 31 in ChinaBROKEN VALVE: All regions in China should address risks and ‘hidden dangers’ in the hospitality sector, and launch campaigns to improve safety, Xi Jinping saidAP, BEIJINGCooking gas caused a massive explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwestern China, killing 31 people and injuring seven others during national celebrations on the eve of a long holiday weekend, authorities said yesterday. The explosion left many people unconscious and they needed to be carried out of the shop, online news site The Paper reported, quoting a member of the search-and-rescue team. Smoke rises from a building after a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, China, on Wednesday. An hour before the explosion, employees noticed the smell of cooking gas and discovered that a gas tank valve was broken, Xinhua reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) demanded urgent medical care for the injured and a safety overhaul after the explosion, Xinhua said.

NHI co-payment changes to take effect next weekTIER SYSTEM: The scheme would not change for about 1.34 million low-income or disabled people to ensure they still receive treatment, the NHI agency saidBy Lin Hui-chou and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerAdjustments to co-payments for emergency care and prescription drugs covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI) are to take effect on Saturday next week, the NHI Administration announced on Wednesday. They were scheduled to go into effect on May 15 last year, but the agency deferred implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme would not change for an estimated 1.34 million low-income and disabled people to ensure that they receive treatment, the NHI Administration said. The new scheme leaves clinics and district hospitals unchanged, while the co-payment for regional hospitals would be raised to NT$400. Medical centers would charge NT$750 regardless of severity.

Tai cleans up opponent in 30mYOUNGER AND YOUNGER: The Taiwanese star beat her 19-year-old opponent and might play an even younger player if 16-year-old Pitchamon Opatniputh wins moreStaff writer, with CNATai Tzu-ying yesterday emphatically beat 19-year-old Tanya Hemanth at the Taipei Open. Tai Tzu-ying yesterday returns to Tanya Hemanth of India during their women’s singles match at the Taipei Open yesterday. Tai won in Taipei in 2012, 2016, 2018 and last year. “My goal is to move toward the top 10 in the world and win world championships and Olympic medals,” she said. “I have many idols, such as Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and Tai Tzu-ying.”“I hope I get to play Tai this time,” she added.

IOC warns Afghanistan over sports for womenAP, GENEVA, SwitzerlandThe Afghanistan team’s status for next year’s Paris Olympics was put in question on Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over growing frustration with the Taliban blocking access to sports for women and girls. The IOC said it “continues to be extremely concerned” about the sports situation in Afghanistan despite its repeated calls for action. Signage for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured on the Pulse building in Paris on Tuesday. The issue was discussed on Wednesday at an IOC executive board meeting that also took updates on problems with Olympic officials in India, Indonesia, Iran and Guatemala. The Afghanistan issue is next scheduled to be discussed at an IOC board meeting in October.

Tsai’s grand justice nominees approvedCONSTITUTIONAL COURT: The KMT and the TPP boycotted the vote, but the DPP’s and the NPP’s votes were more than enough to approve the four nomineesStaff writer, with CNALawmakers yesterday approved all four grand justice nominees proposed by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in a vote boycotted by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). A grand justice nomination is approved when more than 50 percent of all lawmakers vote in favor of it, which means each nominee required at least 57 votes in the 113-seat legislature. Legislators vote on grand justice nominees at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. The party was likely referring to Yo, as some TPP and KMT legislators have cast doubt on the attorney’s competency to serve as a grand justice. With the new appointees, the number of women serving as grand justices is to reach a record five.

China is misreading India relationsBy Sana Hashmi 胡莎娜“Good fences make good neighbors” is a dictum that China seems to disregard, particularly concerning India-China relations. However, it appears unlikely that relations with China are to be normalized in the near future. India’s China policy comprises two crucial aspects: Keeping negotiation channels open and highlighting the significance of resolving the border dispute without sidelining it any longer. Despite being a significant counterweight to China in the region, India has no intention of containing China. However, for India, relations with China are still considered important and substantive, but until China pays sufficient attention to India’s concerns and works to address them, there will be no normalization in ties.

Mayor backs seat removal on Taipei’s Brown LineStaff writerTaipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Wednesday defended new subway cars for the Wenhu (Brown) Line that remove most seating in the hopes of increasing capacity on the perennially crowded line. The newly designed interior of a Wenhu (Brown) Line carriage on the Taipei MRT is pictured in an undated photograph. The design attracted criticism from some city councilors, who after trialing the new carriages on Wednesday said the design was unfriendly. The main reasons people cite for not wanting to ride the Brown Line aside from inconvenience is a lack of seating and crowding, she said, adding that the change would make people’s commute even less comfortable. She also questioned whether the carriages were tested for the increased weight, as the Brown Line was not designed for such high capacity.

Kings star Yang hints at retiring after affair claimStaff writer, with CNAP.League+ (PLG) two-time regular-season Most Valuable Player Yang Chin-min late on Sunday hinted that he was considering retiring following an online forum post by a fan who claimed his ex-girlfriend had an affair with the New Taipei Kings shooting guard. The New Taipei Kings’ Yang Chin-min warms up before Game 1 of the P.League+ Finals against the Taipei Fubon Braves in New Taipei City on June 3. Photo: CNAWhile many online commenters debated the veracity of the claims, others posted images of Yang allegedly flirting with female fans. In Facebook and Instagram posts on Sunday evening, the Kings thanked Yang for his contributions to the franchise over the past two years. For the Kings, the loss of Yang would exacerbate the team’s lack of depth, league broadcaster Ryan Chen said on Monday.

Taliban treatment of women could be ‘gender apartheid,’ UN expert saysReuters, GENEVA, SwitzerlandA UN expert on Monday said that the treatment of Afghan women and girls by the Taliban could amount to “gender apartheid,” as their rights continue to be gravely infringed by the country’s de facto authorities. The UN defines gender apartheid as “economic and social sexual discrimination against individuals because of their gender or sex.”A Taliban fighter stands guard as women wait to receive food rations distributed by a humanitarian aid group in Kabul on May 23. The Taliban seized power in August 2021, drastically curtailing women’s freedoms and rights, including their ability to attend high school and university. In April, Taliban authorities began enforcing a ban on Afghan women working for the UN after stopping women working for aid groups in December last year. Taliban authorities say they respect women’s rights in accordance with their strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Rohingya refugees face soaring hunger and crime after aid cutsThe cuts — forced by a massive shortfall in funding — have stoked fears of a rise in acute malnutrition and child deaths in the world’s largest refugee settlementBy Emma Batha / Thomson Reuters Foundation, LondonEvery day 5-year-old Jannat hunts for bottles and cans in the Rohingya refugee camp where she lives in Bangladesh. She is one of a growing number of children turning to garbage picking since the UN slashed rations for nearly 1 million Rohingya camp residents to just 9 cents a meal this month. A group of Rohingya refugees on June 14 prepare for midday prayer at a makeshift camp in Kutupalong, Ukhiya Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Increasing hunger could also drive up child marriage, child labor and domestic abuse as tensions spiral. UN agencies and humanitarian groups want Bangladesh to lift its restrictions so the refugees can begin to support themselves.

Google seeking suppliers in India for Pixel phonesBloombergAlphabet Inc’s Google is scouting for suppliers in India to assemble its Pixel smartphones as it borrows from Apple Inc’s playbook of diversifying beyond China. Google would be the latest global technology player to move production to India. Google Pixel 7a phones are displayed at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, California, on May 10. Google built about 9 million Pixel smartphones last year, Counterpoint Research said, and the discussions in India underscore its plans to move production beyond China and Vietnam. Local assembly could help drive up Pixel sales, and if the phone effort is successful, Google could also move production of other hardware such as speakers to India, the people said.

The three members submitted a report on the conditions macaques face, in which they called on the Council of Agriculture — which oversees the Forestry Bureau — to review and improve laws governing the protection of wildlife, including macaques. The lack of such laws has resulted in people capturing macaques to raise them privately, and in some cases killing females to capture their infants, they said. The members said their investigation uncovered 151 cases of people raising macaques, with some reportedly buying the animals for NT$50,000 to NT$60,000 each. The members said that although the macaques are no longer on the protected species list, they are unique to Taiwan and should be protected by law. The report made suggestions about the rescue and release of macaques into the wild, including the potential to release the animals on Taiwan’s uninhabited islands.