KMT plans major weekend pork referendum driveBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) plans to collect signatures on Saturday and Sunday at 159 locations nationwide in support of a referendum to overturn the government’s decision to allow imports of pork containing ractopamine residue, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang(江啟臣) said in Taipei yesterday. The lifting of the ban on imports of pork containing traces of the animal feed additive took effect on Friday last week. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang speaks to reporters in front of a portrait of Sun Yat-sen at the party’s headquarters in Taipei yesterday. To be able to hold the referendum in August, the KMT must submit the petition forms to the Central Election Commission for review by March 21, he said. Under the act, Aug. 28 is the next possible date for a referendum in Taiwan.

Farmers’ association paid in yuan: DPPNOT LEGAL TENDER: The Ministry of Labor said that local firms should pay workers in NT dollars, and the association could face a fine, even if there are no complaintsBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNANantou County’s Lugu Township (鹿谷) Farmers’ Association paid its members in Chinese currency twice in 2017, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday. Association members were allegedly paid in Chinese yuan equivalent to NT$6,000 (US$211 at the current exchange rate) for working overtime in June 2017, and December 2017 or January 2018, Chen said. Shueili Borough Warden Chen Kuei-you, third left, and Democratic Progressive Party Nantou County chapter member Tseng Tsung-kai, center, take part in a news conference in Nantou County yesterday calling attention to a local farmers’ association paying its members in Chinese yuan. The Ministry of Labor yesterday said wages should be paid in legal tender, citing Article 22 of the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法). The Nantou County Farmers’ Association in early March 2017 held elections for new chairpersons, supervisors and directors-general.

Groups call for trained animal protection police unitBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterAcademics and animal rights advocates yesterday called on the government to create an animal protection police unit, due to an increase in reports of cruelty and violence against pets and wild animals in the past few years. Taiwan Animal Protection Monitor Network secretary-general Ho Tsung-hsun lead a media briefing at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei organized by a coalition of animal welfare organizations and civic groups. Ho said that lawmakers in 2017 passed amendments to the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法), which imposed more severe penalties for cruelty to, or mistreatment or killing of animals. Academics and animal rights advocates from a coalition of animal welfare organizations and civic groups yesterday pump their fists at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. When arriving on the scene, local police most often record such incidents as a case of “animal welfare and protection,” Ho said.

Virus Outbreak: Four imported cases with UK strain found: CECCGENOME SEQUENCING: The likely more transmissable virus strain was found in previously confirmed cases who did not pose a risk to local communities, the center saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterFour COVID-19 cases in Taiwan were confirmed to be infected with the new virus strain discovered last month in the UK, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it also reported two new imported cases. As the new COVID-19 variant is believed to be much more transmissible than other strains, the CECC in the past few weeks began genome sequencing of samples from confirmed cases with high viral loads. Samples of 33 confirmed cases were subject to genome sequencing, Chen said. Moreover, Chen said that two imported cases were confirmed yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in Taiwan to 819. Chang said that analysis of confirmed cases shows that the virus is more likely to be cultivated if the person’s CT value is lower than 27 and symptoms appear within 10 days of infection.

Bureau officer one of six suspects in lighthouse caseCORRUPTION CASE: Investigators said Sheng received bribes from a contracting firm owner, and colluded with a law firm to forge paperworkBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterA Maritime and Port Bureau technical officer surnamed Sheng (盛) was among six people yesterday listed as suspects in a probe into allegations of bid rigging, bribery and collusion involving work on the nation’s lighthouses, after raids conducted this week. A contracting company owner surnamed Pu, front right, is escorted into court in Taipei for a bail hearing yesterday. Investigators said that Sheng attended banquets and received regular gifts from the owner of the contracting firm, surnamed Pu (卜), and one of his staff surnamed Chen (陳). The law firm allegedly produced forged documents to fake progress at the lighthouse projects, which Sheng allegedly signed and approved, despite the work falling behind schedule and not being inspected. Prosecutors accused Sheng of colluding with the law firm.

A 5G phone uses 25 to 40 percent more passive components than a 4G model, the company said. Ample Electronic Technology Co chairman and president T.Y. Washington is considering extending its semiconductor ban to passive components, the firm said. Asked about trends in component prices, Ample said that it matches the moves taken by its customers. Ample’s existing customers are mostly from Taiwan and China, including Yageo, Chilisin Electronics Corp (奇力新) and Walsin Technology Corp (華新科).

Museum of Taiwanese history to reopen FridayBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe National Museum of Taiwan History in Tainan is on Friday to reopen following a year-long renovation with four special exhibitions. The National Museum of Taiwan History is pictured in Tainan on Monday as it prepares to reopen to the public on Friday. The museum commissioned contemporary artist Ruby Swana, an Amis, to complete an installation of an Aboriginal legend at the entrance of the permanent exhibition, Yang said. The museum seeks to present contemporary trends in the society and local communities of Taiwan, she added. The renovation project included creating a space where visitors could use virtual reality to take in stories about history, the museum said.

Central library unveils upgraded performance hallBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe National Central Library (NCL) yesterday unveiled its newly upgraded multipurpose performance hall, while announcing that writers Pai Hsien-yung (白先勇) and Chiang Hsun (蔣勳) are scheduled to hold talks there later this year. A lion dance group performs at the opening of the National Central Library’s multipurpose performance hall in Taipei yesterday. Sound-absorbing panels were installed, as well as a reinforced steel grid above the stage, foundation CEO Jenny Chen (陳怡蓁) said. The work on the performance hall was done from Nov. 2 last year to Thursday last week, she said. Pai, who has given seven lectures over the past two years, is to lecture at the multipurpose performance hall on May 8 and May 22, Chen said.

Ractopamine in pork safe within limits: Lee Yuan-tsehBy Hsieh Chun-lin / Staff reporterPork containing ractopamine residues within safe levels would not endanger human health, former Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) said yesterday. From Friday last week, US pork containing ractopamine — 0.01 parts per million (ppm) for meat, skin and other edible parts; 0.04 ppm for pig liver and kidney — are allowed to be imported, although there is still a ban on use of the leanness-enhancing feed additive on local pigs. Former Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh speaks at a seminar in Taipei yesterday. Asked if people can eat pork products containing ractopamine within safe levels, Lee said: “Yes.”When asked whether his view might be opposed by mainstream public opinion, Lee said in that case, it is likely that people do not always get the correct information. The term “nuke food” sounds like it contains nuclear waste or something, which is not correct, Lee said.

KMT referendum enters stage 2MARCH DEADLINE: The KMT is to set up collection sites nationwide and lawmaker Jessica Chen called for support for the signature drive to safeguard public healthStaff writer, with CNAThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has begun to collect signatures in the second stage of its efforts to initiate a referendum opposing the government’s decision to lift a ban on pork imports containing ractopamine, it said yesterday. The referendum question would ask: “Do you agree to a total ban on the importation of pork and related products containing leanness-enhancing additives (ractopamine and other beta-agonists)?” the KMT has said. In line with the Referendum Act (公民投票法), the KMT in the second stage must collect the signatures of nearly 290,000 people, or 1.5 percent of eligible voters in the most recent presidential election, for the referendum to be held. Every KMT lawmaker would be responsible for collecting at least 1,000 signatures by the deadline, he said. KMT Legislator Jessica Chen (陳玉珍) urged the public to support the referendum initiative to safeguard people’s health.

Photo: Aaron Tu, Taipei TimesBuilding on cognitive warfare, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aggressively manipulates virtual and real spaces to develop a “united front” strategy, the report says. Chinese academics have added “brain dominance” to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s traditional “three warfares” strategy: public opinion warfare, psychological warfare and legal warfare, it says. “As these cognitive warfare operations were based on falsehoods, they were quickly repudiated and usually had the opposite of the intended effect,” the report says. “The author believes that the intended target for China’s 2020 external perception warfare, which superficially is about changing perception abroad about China ... has eventually been transformed into a form of domestic perception warfare to ensure stability,” it says. China used various media to push its perception warfare, including paid trolls and content farms to reach an audience willing to promote pro-Beijing propaganda, as well as employing hackers to launch cyberattacks, it says.

Housing prices might increase 10%HIGH LIQUIDITY: Two and three-bedroom apartments would continue to dominate the market due to their relative affordability, Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan saidBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaiwan’s housing prices might rise another 10 percent this year in locations with noticeable land supply and amid planned high-tech plants, as record-low interest rates would continue to motivate potential buyers, Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan (戴德梁行) said yesterday. Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan managing director Billy Yen speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. New housing projects in locations near forthcoming technology plants across Taiwan would also be popular, as the jobs they create would spur real demand, Yen said. Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan expects liquidity-driven rallies to drive up office prices this year, aided by companies returning from abroad to cope with US-China trade tensions and a global supply chain realignment. The pace of increase in land prices might slow down this year after probably hitting their peak last year, allowing the trading volume to further expand, Yen said.

Exchanges could share Taipei siteBETTER COORDINATION: Four exchanges have invested in an urban renewal project at Taipei Beimen Post Office and might move there once construction is completedBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), the Taipei Exchange (TPEX), the Taiwan Futures Exchange (TAIFEX) and Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corp (TDCC) could move into one building in downtown Taipei in six years, TWSE chairman Hsu Jan-yau (許璋瑤) said yesterday. The four companies have invested in an urban renewal project run by Chunghwa Post Co (中華郵政) that would transform the historic Taipei Beimen Post Office site into a national postal museum and two high-rises, Hsu told a news conference in Taipei. Taiwan Stock Exchange chairman Hsu Jan-yau is pictured at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNATWSE rents office space in Taipei 101, while the other three are headquartered either in Taipei’s Songshan (松山) or Zhongzheng (中正) districts. The Financial Supervisory Commission, now in New Taipei’s City’s Banciao District (板橋), would probably also relocate to the same building, but it is still in talks with the National Property Administration (NPA), the landowner of the renewal project, he said.

Legislator discusses CECC data use, privacy concernsBIG BROTHER? More than 30 people under self-health management were detected near the Taipei City Government’s New Year’s Eve event, and seven people under self-health management were asked to leave concerts by rock band Mayday in Taoyuan on Thursday and Friday evening. The CECC used that information to issue text message warnings to people whose mobile devices were detected in the areas where the passengers had been, she said. “However, once the pandemic is over, what the standard for using personal data is remains a question to be answered,” Kao said. Personal data collected as part of COVID-19 prevention efforts would be destroyed after 28 days, in line with regulations, Chen said.

‘Pork dashboard’ shows zero importsPORK WATCH: The dashboard provides daily information on locally produced and imported pork products, including those containing ractopamine residueBy Chien Hui-ju and Chen Hsin-yu / Staff reportersThe government yesterday launched an online “pork dashboard,” which showed no pork imports since Friday, when the nation started allowing imports of pork containing residue of the leanness-enhancing additive ractopamine. It includes information on domestically produced pork, including the number of pigs slaughtered and weights of pork and edible pig organs. Premier Su Tseng-chang points to an image of the government’s new “pork dashboard” at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. All government agencies are prepared to inspect imported pork batch by batch, clearly label imported pork and follow relevant procedures,” he added. The real test begins when there are companies that want to import pork containing ractopamine, he added.