CROSS-STRAIT AFFAIRS: The measure will allow banks to acquire up to a 20 percent stake in a Chinese bank, but the restriction on setting up branches in China remains
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The Cabinet yesterday eased restrictions on investment in China's banking industry, with Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控) widely expected to be the first to benefit.

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By Mo Yan-chih
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday urged the public to support its referendum on "rejoining" the UN and boycott the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) referendum on joining the world body.

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Japanese opposition lawmakers yesterday voted down Bank of Japan deputy Toshiro Muto as the next central bank chief, defying the government, which refused to look for a new candidate.

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DIFFERENCES? : Robert Gates downplayed rumors of a rift between William Fallon and White House and that the Navy admiral was pressured to leave
For US Navy Admiral William Fallon, the perception of a disagreement with US President George W. Bush's policies on Iran rather than an actual rift was reason enough to step down as the commander of US forces in the Middle East.

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The US dropped China from its list of the world's worst human- rights violators, but added Syria, Uzbekistan and Sudan to its top 10 offenders in an annual report released on Tuesday.

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By Ko Shu-ling
Clashes broke out yesterday afternoon when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators barged into Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) Taipei campaign office.

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