You gears up for Czech official’s visit
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu wears a mask made in Taiwan with the national flags of Taiwan and the Czech Republic printed on it. You said that he admired the Czech delegation for visiting Taiwan despite pressure from Beijing. Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) was on Friday interviewed by Czech Television, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. Asked about the significance of US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar’s visit last week, Wu said that Azar was the highest-level US official to visit Taiwan in 41 years and that his visit shows closer Taiwan-US ties. At the end of the interview, Wu showed a mask made for the Czech visitors that bears the national flags of Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Source:Taipei Times
August 15, 2020 15:56 UTC
Exhibition tells story of White Terror survivor
Exhibition tells story of White Terror survivorBy Chen Yu-hsun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe story of Luku Incident (鹿窟事件) victim Pan Ping-hui (潘炳輝), one of hundreds arrested during the White Terror era, is the focus of an exhibition at a tea factory in Taipei’s Nangang District (南港). Pan Shih-hsien on Thursday looks at a poster that describes the story of his grandfather, Pan Ping-hui, a victim of the Luku Incident, at an exhibition in Taipei. Pan Shih-hsien (潘世賢) said his grandfather, Pan Ping-hui, never knew why he was arrested, and that his grandfather and father were reluctant to discuss it. Pan Ping-hui was held for eight years, and then he was afraid to interact with people and so moved to the mountains to live alone, Pan Shih-hsien said. Pan Shih-hsien said his grandfather always told him not to speak about the government or politics, which Pan Shih-hsien said showed just how much his grandfather’s experience had scarred him.
Source:Taipei Times
August 15, 2020 15:56 UTC
Groups condemn Cheng’s actions
Pro-Taiwan groups on Friday gathered outside the court demanding that Cheng apologize, and some engaged in shouting matches with pro-unification groups, who came to support Cheng. People line up to pay their respects to former president Lee Teng-hui at the Taipei Guest House yesterday. The Taiwan Solidarity Union yesterday issued a statement condemning Lisa Cheng’s. Lisa Cheng’s action has provoked anger, “as people see her heart as full of hatred,” the Taiwan Republic Office said in a statement. Lisa Cheng’s beliefs are a result of decades of brainwashing by the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime, which filled her mind with hatred, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 15, 2020 15:56 UTC
Chen Chi-mai wins Kaohsiung vote
Chen received 671,804 votes, or 70.03 percent, against 248,478, or 25.90 percent, for KMT Kaohsiung City Councilor Jane Lee (李眉蓁) and 38,960, or 4.06 percent, for Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Kaohsiung City Councilor Wu Yi-jheng (吳益政), according to the final vote tallies from the Kaohsiung City Election Commission. In his victory speech, Chen said that people’s support, regardless for whom, spelled the beginning of hope for Kaohsiung. Former vice premier Chen Chi-mai of the Democratic Progressive Party celebrates after winning the mayoral by-election in Kaohsiung yesterday. She congratulated Chen on his victory and called on her supporters to remain open-minded and give Chen a chance to lead Kaohsiung toward a better future. The turnout rate was 66 percent for the 2014 mayoral election, 73 percent for the 2018 mayoral election, and 74 percent for the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections, it added.
Source:Taipei Times
August 15, 2020 15:56 UTC
US formalizes sale of new F-16 warplanes to Taiwan
US formalizes sale of new F-16 warplanes to Taiwan‘PARTNER NATIONS’: The fighter jets are being assembled at Lockheed Martin’s new plant in South Carolina and would feature state of-the-art fire-control radarBloombergThe government has formally signed an agreement to buy 66 of the latest model F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp. The nation’s purchase of the F-16s marks the first US sale of advanced fighter jets to Taiwan since then-US president George H.W. In addition to Taiwan, Morocco is buying 24 F-16s jets in the first tranche of 90 aircraft that the Pentagon said was valued at US$4.9 billion. The Pentagon announcement did not name Taiwan or Morocco, but they have been identified in a previous statement and were confirmed on Friday by a person familiar with the contract. “Taiwan and Morocco are expected to be the first two partner nations that will utilize this contract,” Brackens said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 15, 2020 15:56 UTC
Kaohsiung candidates hold rallies
Kaohsiung candidates hold ralliesBy Ko Yu-hao, Wang Jung-hsiang and Dennis Xie / Staff reporters, with staff writerThe three candidates in the Kaohsiung mayoral by-election yesterday canvassed for support ahead of today’s vote. Kaohsiung City Councilor Jane Lee, center, the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Kaohsiung mayoral by-election candidate, waves alongside KMT Legislator Hung Meng-kai, left, and National Policy Foundation Vice Chairman Sean Lien, at a rally in the city yesterday. Before Han spoke at 9pm, Kaohsiung City Councilor Chen Ruo-tsui (陳若翠) said that more than 100,000 people were in attendance. Former vice premier Chen Chi-mai, left, the Democratic Progressive Party’s Kaohsiung mayoral by-election candidate, gestures alongside Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien at a rally in the city yesterday. Photo: Hsu Li-juan, Taipei TimesTaiwan People’s Party (TPP) campaign vehicles on six routes throughout Kaohsiung canvassed voters for its candidate, Kaohsiung City Councilor Wu Yi-jheng (吳益政), with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), the party’s chairman, and TPP Secretary-General Hsieh Li-kung (謝立功) riding along.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
Police raid in Yunlin targets counterfeit vouchers
Police raid in Yunlin targets counterfeit vouchersCOPYING HISTORY: A prosecutor said that the main suspect has a criminal record of counterfeiting and has been linked to about 20 cases over the past few decadesBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterFive people were detained in an operation targeting an organization that allegedly produced counterfeit Triple Stimulus Vouchers, police in Yunlin County said yesterday. Counterfeit Triple Stimulus Vouchers are displayed alongside genuine ones at a news conference at the Yunlin County Police Bureau yesterday. Officers found 1,094 counterfeit vouchers with NT$500 face values, as well as 798 unfinished vouchers, with the total value of both sets being NT$2.5 million, they said. A real Triple Stimulus Voucher, bottom, and a counterfeit voucher, top, are displayed at the Yunlin County Police Bureau yesterday. The government’s Triple Stimulus Voucher program aimed to revitalize the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with Taiwanese and foreign spouses of Taiwanese eligible to buy NT$3,000 of vouchers for NT$1,000.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
Family, friends, public bid farewell to Lee
A motorcade transporting the body of former president Lee Teng-hui passes the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. People hold figurines of former president Lee Teng-hui outside Che-lam Presbyterian Church in Taipei yesterday. A portrait of former president Lee Teng-hui splashed with red paint lies on the floor at the Taipei Guest House yesterday. At shortly before 2pm, Lee Kun-yi (李坤儀), the former president’s granddaughter, departed with an urn containing his ashes to return to the Lee family residence. Meanwhile, veteran entertainer Lisa Cheng (鄭惠中) was arrested at the Taipei Guest House after allegedly throwing a balloon containing red paint on a portrait of Lee Teng-hui.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
NPP lawmaker seeks to bolster crime victim act
NPP lawmaker seeks to bolster crime victim actBy Wu Su-wei / Staff reporterNew Power Party (NPP) Legislator Claire Wang (王婉諭) yesterday introduced a proposal to amend the Crime Victim Protection Act (犯罪被害人保護法) to mandate that the government provide victims with legal assistance or refer them to legal aid. Since its promulgation in 1998, the act has mainly been used to regulate compensation, while ensuring victims’ rights has been neglected, she said. The incident triggered a national outcry and turned Wang into an advocate for the rights of crime victims. Wang’s proposal seeks to establish a comprehensive network of support for victims and would facilitate lateral communication between government agencies about victim assistance. National Tsing Hua University assistant professor Lien Meng-chi (連孟綺) said that Wang’s proposal seeks to authorize the government to directly compensate crime victims, complete with conditions that victims must meet to qualify for compensation and the corresponding sums.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
Control Yuan impeaches former judge
Control Yuan impeaches former judge‘POLITICAL HITMEN’? Control Yuan members Wang Mei-yu, right, and Control Yuan member Kao Yung-cheng host a news conference at the Control Yuan in Taipei yesterday to announce the impeachment of former Commission on the Disciplinary Sanctions of Functionaries secretary-general Shih Mu-chin. Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei TimesThe Control Yuan investigation said that Shih did not recuse himself when Weng appeared before the court and had allegedly provided Weng with legal advice on the side. Shih did not comport himself with the moral integrity expected of a Supreme Court judge and his actions failed to uphold the dignity of the judiciary, the Control Yuan said. Shih accused Control Yuan members of being “political hitmen” who impeached him solely for the sake of impeachment, saying that it was a sad thing to witness.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
Airlines offer special Lovers’ Day flights
Airlines offer special Lovers’ Day flightsBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterLocal airline companies have launched a second round of “flights to nowhere” for the Qixi Festival (七夕情人節), or Lovers’ Day, in an effort to recover some revenue lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空), which also launched one Lovers’ Day inspired flight for Saturday next week, saw all of its 108 seats sold out yesterday. CAL offered its first “fly-to-nowhere” program on Father’s Day and is to offer a second flight today. EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) said that these special programs help maintain cash flow, but could not offset lost revenue due to the cancelation of international flights, an official said by telephone yesterday. As the carrier used to focus on flights between Taiwan and neighboring countries such as Japan and South Korea, it needs to do more research for the special programs, Hsu said.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
HTC’s second quarter shows 10th straight loss
HTC’s second quarter shows 10th straight lossBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterHTC Corp (宏達電) yesterday posted a NT$1.83 billion (US$62 million) loss for last quarter, its 10th consecutive quarterly loss, as its expansion into virtual-reality headsets has yet to bear fruit, it said in a filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. On an annual basis, that was an improvement from the NT$2.22 billion loss it registered in the same period last year, but on a quarterly basis, it widened from a loss of NT$1.68 billion in the first quarter. For the first half of this year, HTC posted a net loss of NT$3.5 billion, an improvement from a loss of NT$4.68 billion in the first half of last year. That represented a loss of NT$4.28 per share, better than its loss of NT$5.69 in the same period last year. In June, the company unveiled the HTC U20 5G, the first made in Taiwan 5G mobile phone.
Source:Taipei Times
August 14, 2020 15:56 UTC
‘Taiwanese Feet’ book tour lands in Taichung
‘Taiwanese Feet’ book tour lands in TaichungAuthor John Groot will be at Lei Gallery tomorrow to sign copies of his new bookBy John Evans / Contributing r eporterNow that John Groot has finished walking 1,200km around Taiwan’s coastline, he can rest his feet and autograph a few books. Groot will be at the Lei Gallery in Taichung tomorrow to sign copies of his new book, Taiwanese Feet: My walk around Taiwan. It’s the last stop on a summer book tour that included events in the Taipei area and Kaohsiung. He hopes to resume the book tour on the east coast later in the year. Afterwards, participants are invited to tour local bars as part of the Taiwanese Feet Beerwalk Pub Crawl.
Source:Taipei Times
August 13, 2020 15:56 UTC
Chen Chi-mai rejects Jane Lee’s ‘poverty’ comments
Chen Chi-mai rejects Jane Lee’s ‘poverty’ commentsBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is renowned as the world’s wealthiest political party, which negates its candidate’s complaints about campaign finances in the Kaoshiung mayoral by-election, former vice premier Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said yesterday. Kaohsiung City Councilor Jane Lee (李眉蓁), the KMT’s candidate, on Wednesday said that the election was unfair, as she is part of a poorly funded campaign, while Chen, the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate, is well-financed. Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times“It is well-known that the KMT used to be the wealthiest political party in the world. In the past, people often said that if the KMT does not buy votes, it cannot win elections,” Chen said. Meanwhile, Jane Lee’s campaign announced that former Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) would headline her election-eve rally today.
Source:Taipei Times
August 13, 2020 15:56 UTC
Three former legislative aides charged with spying
On June 18, Chen Wei-jen (陳惟仁), Lee Yi-hsien (李易諴) and Lin Yung-ta (林雍達) were questioned following raids by Taipei prosecutors and investigation agents. Chen Wei-jen, one of three former aides of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators indicted for contravening the National Security Act, is escorted by police in Taipei yesterday. Chen was the first to be recruited by Huang Guanlong (黃冠龍), an intelligence officer from the Chinese Ministry of State Security, prosecutors said. Lin allegedly agreed to work as a spy in exchange for money. From 2012 to 2018, Chen and Lin worked for then-KMT legislator Chen Shu-huey (陳淑慧), now Chiayi deputy mayor, while Lee worked for then-KMT legislator Chang Li-shan (張麗善), now Yunlin County commissioner.
Source:Taipei Times
August 13, 2020 15:56 UTC