Annette Lu vows pursuit of anti-plant referendum

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday said she would not give up her effort to initiate a local referendum to stop the installation of fuel rods in the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant if her appeal is rejected by the Taipei High Administrative Court next month.

Lu filed a provisional injunction in January after the Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee in May last year rejected a proposal regarding the plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮).

Chiou to decide by month-end about running in Yilan

Staff writer, with CNA

Health and Promotion Administration Director-General Chiou Shu-ti (邱淑媞) said yesterday she would decide by the end of the month whether to take part in the Yilan County commissioner election in November.

Chiou, who served as director of Taipei City’s Bureau of Health during President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) stint as mayor of Taipei, said two reasons prompted her to consider running in the election.

Lee Teng-hui concludes round-the-nation journey

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday concluded his round-the-nation trip with a final stop in Yilan County, saying that his final wish was to visit Yushan (玉山), the highest mountain in Taiwan.

“I’ve asked my doctor about [visiting Yushan] and was told that such trip would not be recommended due to my health condition. I’m hoping that my ashes can be scattered on top of Yushan after I die,” said the 90-year-old in Yilan. “Being buried on Yushan would mean that I would be with Taiwan forever.”

Activists file lawsuit against Japanese PM in Yilan

SHINZO ABE SUED:The activists also criticized President Ma Ying-jeou for making concessions in bilateral fishery negotiations with Japan that ‘sacrificed Taiwan’s territory’
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

A group of activists filed a lawsuit against Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) at the Yilan District Court yesterday, as well as a lawsuit against a judge at the court for malfeasance and treason.

Led by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chang Chun-hung (張俊宏) and former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), dozens of activists accused Abe of “infringement of Taiwan’s fishing rights” following Japan’s nationalization of three of the islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan.

DPP vows to resist ‘unfair’ trade pact

CONCERN:The 64 sectors to be opened to Chinese investment could involve more than 1,000 sub-sectors, harming small businesses the most, a spokesperson said
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said it would set up two lines of defense against the opaque and unfair cross-strait service trade agreement, at the legislature and at local government level.

“The legislature, after a negotiation, has said that it will screen and vote on the pact clause by clause. If the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) pushes the pact through the legislature, local governments can take administrative measures to counter the agreement,” DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said after the party’s weekly Central Standing Committee (CSC) meeting, which leaders of five of the six DPP-governed cities and counties attended.

Annette Lu moots another nuclear referendum bid

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday that she is considering starting a petition in Taipei City for a nuclear referendum to decide whether fuel rods should be inserted into the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮).

A similar proposal by Lu to hold a referendum in New Taipei City had been rejected on Thursday last week by the Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee, which said the issue “concerns energy policy affecting the nation’s electricity supply, power reserves, industrial sectors, environment and other important matters” and is “an important national policy matter not suitable for a local referendum.”

Green energy planned in DPP-administered areas

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said alternative energy generation should be developed in Taiwan to replace nuclear energy, and approved a proposal demanding that the cities and counties it governs develop safer, green energy.

The proposal, initiated by former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), suggests that geothermal power could be developed in Yilan County and solar power should be developed in southern cities and counties, such as Yunlin, Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and Pingtung, where sunlight is abundant.

Cities, counties urge fair budgets

SPECIAL:Commissioner Helen Chang said the special municipalities would be given 5.07 times more debt capacity than other cities if a Public Debt Act amendment passed
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Commissioners and mayors of seven cities and counties yesterday signed a joint letter demanding that the central government adjust its loan capacity structure and debt ceiling limits so that local governments can avoid potential bankruptcy, amid a proposed amendment to the Public Debt Act (公共債務法).

Led by Chiayi County Commissioner Helen Chang (張花冠), the seven cities and counties urged the central government to increase the debt limit for 16 cities and counties, excluding the five special municipalities, from 1.43 percent of the average GDP of the previous three years, to 2.63 percent.

DPP too pro-Japan on Diaoyutais: Lu

COUNTRY FIRST:Former vice president Annette Lu warned about underestimating the importance of the islands and slammed Lee Teng-hui for saying they were Japan’s
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should re-examine its “Japan-friendly” position over the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) controversy and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) made a mistake in publicly saying that the islands belong to Japan, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday.

The outspoken Lu also warned that Taiwan should never underestimate the dispute and the islands’ strategic implication, saying that if Beijing took over the Diaoyutais, its next annexation target could be Taiwan.

Su stumps for DPP in Jiaosi by-election

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter, in Yilan County

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday campaigned in Jiaosi Township (礁溪), Yilan County, hoping to secure the first election victory since he assumed the party helm in May.

Su campaigned for Lin Hsi-chung (林錫忠), the DPP candidate in the three-way township chief by-election on Sept. 8, saying that Jiaosi needs a “new dress” to end the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) decade-long political domination in the town.

“While this town has been a KMT stronghold, we are confident of winning this election,” Su said.

Hsuehshan tunnel speed limit dropped after deaths

PUTTING THE BRAKES ON:：The National Freeway Bureau has temporarily lowered the speed limit on southbound lanes due to damage to lighting in a stretch of the tunnel
By Shelley Shan  /  Staff reporter
Wed, May 09, 2012 - Page 1

The National Freeway Bureau yesterday temporarily lowered the speed limit on southbound lanes in the Hsuehshan Tunnel to 80kph after a collision killed two people and injured 31 on Monday, adding that it would consider a permanent reduction in the speed limit inside the tunnel.

The bureau said the accident occurred when a small truck with a blown tire caused a large bus behind it to slam on the brakes. A small passenger car then ran into the bus after it was shunted by another bus and caught fire.

DPP officials to discuss alternatives to beef plan

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

Mayors and county commissioners of six Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-governed cities and counties are to announce countermeasures to the central government’s planned move to lift a ban on ractopamine, the party said yesterday.

The officials are scheduled to exchange opinions at a meeting and release a joint statement on Monday in Greater Kaohsiung, DPP spokesperson Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) told a press conference yesterday.

The DPP has reiterated its opposition to the government’s planned lifting of a ban on ractopamine and has said that it would “stand on the same side as Taiwanese.”

Lawmakers spar over military crash

FINGER-POINTING:：The KMT said it was not to blame for blocking the budget to upgrade the nation’s aging fleet of fighters, despite claims to the contrary from the DPP
By Rich Chang and Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporters
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 - Page 1

A crash of two military aircraft on Tuesday night, in which three pilots lost their lives, sparked a fresh round of accusations between legislators over the government’s failure to modernize its air force in recent years.

An F-5F jet and a RF-5 reconnaissance aircraft crashed into the mountains near the Suhua Highway along the east coast at 7:52pm on Tuesday, after taking off at 7:39pm. The two planes deviated slightly from their flight paths before the crash, but the cause of the accident remained unclear, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.

Chief inspector of the air force Caleb Po (柏關忠) told a press conference that the pilots were in constant and normal communication with Hualien Air Force Base and that the control tower warned them to change their altitude — 610m at the time — but the aircraft did not comply.

“There are various factors that could have caused the accident,” Po said.

He said the aircraft were on a nighttime training mission and that weather and visibility were good at the time.

Air force commander General Yen Ming (嚴明) boarded an S-70 helicopter with other air force officials at 5am to inspect the crash site on Dongao Mountain (東澳山) in Suao Township (蘇澳), Yilan County, at an altitude of 640m.

Body parts found near the site were taken to a hospital for examination.

The air force identified the pilot of the RF-5 as Captain Hsiao Wen-min (蕭文民) and the crew of the F-5F as Lieutenant Colonel Chang Chien-kuo (常建國) and Major Wang Hung-hsiang (王鴻祥).

It confirmed that the two aircraft crashed separately and did not collide during flight, as was initially suspected.

The air force has grounded all F-5 aircraft as an investigation is being conducted.

This was the sixth mishap involving F-5s in the past seven years. The air force now has 32 F-5Fs in its fleet.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang--liang (蔡煌瑯) said the crashes were “more than just another accident” and that President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration should be held accountable for its failure to upgrade military hardware.

The air force has lost 11 pilots and eight fighters to crashes since Ma took office in 2008, Tsai said.

He described the aging F5s, which are scheduled for retirement, as “flying iron coffins.”

Ma and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have blocked the procurement budget of 66 F-16C/Ds from the US in the legislature 69 times since 2007, he said, adding that if not for their resistance, Taiwan would be able to have three squadrons of F-16C/Ds ready for operation in 2014.

The KMT’s stance on the procurement is why Taiwanese -military aircraft cannot be upgraded and replaced, Tsai said.

Tsai also questioned management at the air force, which expects 75 percent operational availability for all aircraft.

Despite this requirement, operational availability for F5-Fs is only 26 percent, while it is 66 percent for T-34C trainers, he said.

This situation was highlighted after the 2009 crash of an F5-F off Penghu, but “the Ma -administration and the ministry have not paid any attention to the matter,” Tsai said.

KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) denied his party was to blame for the failure to acquire F-16C/D aircraft.

“The DPP should not capitalize on the tragedy for political gain. It should instead join efforts with the KMT and the ministry in urging the US to approve the [F-16C/D] sale,” Lin said.

He said the KMT had never- -boycotted the budget earmarked for purchasing F-16C/Ds during the DPP administration, as the legislature approved a budget of NT$16 billion (US$475 million) in 2007 and NT$20 billion in 2008 for the item.

“How can the DPP come up with this allegation when the KMT, which has held a majority in the legislature, actually approved the budget?” Lin asked.

Lin questioned whether the US had guaranteed the DPP -administration that it would approve the sale when the budget was passed, a claim made by the DPP.

“There could be two reasons: Either the DPP misunderstood the US’ message or some US officials turned back on their verbal promise. Whatever the reason, it had nothing to do with the KMT,” Lin said.

Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan and CNA

Taiwanese player honored in U.S. NCAA Division II basketball

Taipei, March 27 (CNA) A Taiwanese basketball player was named Most Outstanding Player in the United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II basketball championship Sunday, even though his team lost in the title game.

Chang Tsung-hsien scored 35 points, the fourth highest personal score in championship's history, for Brigham Young University-Hawaii in a 71-68 loss to Kentucky's Bellarmine University to become the first player from a losing team to be named MOP since 1998.

"I don't really think too much about the award. Individual awards don't mean much to me. I wanted to help us win a title. That was the most important thing for me, " Chang, a 1.92-meter shooting guard, was quoted as saying by the NCAA's website.

"It was a good experience, especially to play in a championship game. I worked hard to help my team any way I could. I wish I could have done more, but I enjoyed having a chance to play here, " he added.

Chang, who goes by the nickname of "Jet, " tallied 78 points in two games in the Final Four and is the first Taiwanese player to win the MOP honor.

He also shot 14-of-17 from the field and made seven 3-pointers en route to a career-high 43 points in a 110-101 win over West Liberty University in the national semi-final March 25.

Chang, who hails from Taiwan's eastern county of Yilan, led Hsin-rong High School to Taiwan's high school league title in 2006. (By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J

Tiaoyutai issue flares up again

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) Premier Wu Den-yih said Friday that the Executive Yuan will respect a legislative resolution for a visit by legislators to the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands next month that could add a new twist to an already-tense controversy over the islets.

The internal administration committee of the Legislative Yuan passed a resolution Thursday to launch an inspection visit Nov. 4 to the Tiaoyutais, which lie about 100 nautical miles off Taiwan's northeastern tip in the East China Sea. The islands are controlled by Japan and also claimed by China and Taiwan. They are known as the Diaoyutais in China and as the Senkaku Islands in Japan.

Responding to a question in a legislative session the previous day, Wu said the Executive Yuan will respect the decision. However, he added, given the complexity of the issue, the visit should be confined to waters within the "temporary enforcement line," as suggested by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng.

As the claimed exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Taiwan and Japan overlap near the islands, Taiwan established the temporary enforcement line for the EEZ in 2003 in order to provide safe fishing grounds for Taiwanese fishermen and gain an area of maritime jurisdiction.

The planned visit comes amidst a diplomatic row between China and Japan sparked by Japan's arrest of a Chinese fishing boat skipper after his trawler collided with two Japanese coast guard vessels in the area Sept. 7.

Wu reiterated that Taiwan claims full sovereignty over the islands, but has no intention of becoming embroiled in the issue, which could affect its overall relations with Japan and the United States.

He said Taiwan does not recognize Japan's administrative jurisdiction over the islands and that the government considers them to be under the administrative jurisdiction of Toucheng Township in Yilan County, although he conceded that in fact, the islands are indeed controlled by Japan.

He was responding to a local media report that Foreign Minister Timothy C.T. Yang said in a legislative session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Oct. 14 that Japan has administrative jurisdiction of the Tiaoyutais, which was handed over by the U.S. to Japan in 1972.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) responded to the report in a press release Thursday, saying that the ministry filed a protest after the U.S. handed the administrative jurisdiction of the archipelago to Japan and that its position has remained consistent over the years. (By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J

Thailand Week 2010 concludes with food fair

Taipei, March 27 (CNA) A food and products fair was launched Saturday in Taipei as the final event in "Thailand Week 2010, " which was aimed at promoting better understanding of the Southeast Asian country.

At the fair, some 20 booths in the plaza in front of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in downtown Taipei offered food, handicraft, and tourism and visa services.

"The purpose of this event is not only to promote Thailand tourism and food, but also to showcase every aspect of Thailand to the people of Taiwan and others who are currently in Taipei, " said Arbhorn Manasvanich, Executive Director of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office (TTEO).

The Thailand Food and Products Fair, which will run through Sunday, is the final event in a series of activities to celebrate 2010 Thailand Week from March 20-28.

The activities included a Thai classical dance performance in Yilan and Taipei, the screening of a Thai movie "Homrong, " and an investment seminar at which several Taiwanese businesses from the alternative energy and pharmaceutical sectors expressed interest in investing in Thailand, Manasvanich said.

At Saturday's food event, the chef who demonstrated how to make traditional Thai dishes such as green curry, spicy shrimp and lemongrass salad was none other than the representative herself.

Manasvanich said she was quite impressed with the participation in and responses to the event, which is being held for the second year.

The fair attracted Taiwanese visitors, Thai workers in Taiwan, and a group of Thai students who are in Taiwan on a two-month language program.

Stressing the importance of friendship between the two countries, Manasvanich noted said they have similar cultures and lifestyles.

"Apart from the observance of Buddhism (in Taiwan) , the way of life is very similar in Thailand and Taiwan," she said.

"In addition, some people always get Thailand and Taiwan mixed up. That tells you we're quite close to each other, " she said jokingly.

"Add to that the fact that an estimated 300,000 Taiwanese tourists visit Thailand every year, we feel like neighbors although we don't share a border," she said.

The TTEO is planning to organize another fair in October and other cultural programs later this year, Manasvanich said, adding that 2011 Thailand Week will be the biggest TTEO event ever.

The office is also trying to promote Thai rice -- which Manasvanich says makes Thai dishes taste better -- as there are now Thai restaurants almost everywhere in Taiwan.

Another area that the office is looking at is collaboration between the Taiwanese and Thai film industries.

Manasvanich said she doesn't know why most Thai movies being screened in Taiwan's theaters and on television movie channels are horror films.

"We have many kinds of movies, not just horror movies. It may be a good idea to organize a film festival in the future," she said. (By Chris Wang) enditem /pc