■ WHO
Observer status sought
Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission chief Chang Fu-mei (張富美) urged the World Health Organization (WHO) Saturday to at least admit Taiwan as an observer to help the nation curb the outbreak of the potentially deadly atypical pneumonia. Chang made the comments in a ceremony to mark the reopening of the Overseas Chinese Center in Houston, Texas over the weekend. Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston Director Edward Feng and overseas Chinese representatives also attended the ceremony. Chang noted that Taiwan has contained the SARS epidemic well, while China has the highest reported cases at 1,309, with 58 deaths according to the latest tallies of the WHO. But as the WHO has listed the island as "China, Taiwan," some countries have mistaken Taiwan as a seriously affected country. Chang urged the WHO to admit Taiwan as an observer so that the nation will get timely information and assistance on information regarding the disease. She also expressed hope that Taiwan can become an official member of the body.
■ Culture
Lu opens Taoyuan exhibition
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) helped open a Taoyuan cultural exhibition being held in the square in front of the Presidential Office yesterday. Taoyuan, which is the 11th county out of 23 cities and counties scheduled to hold an exhibition in front of the Presidential Office, displayed more than 50 pavilions featuring its local delicacies and folk performances. The county displayed a light plane on the square in order to show that Taoyuan, home to the CKS International Airport, is the gateway to the country. Lu, a former Taoyuan magistrate, Council for Cultural Affairs Chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou (陳郁秀) and Taoyuan County Magistrate Chu Li-lung (朱立倫) co-presided over the opening ceremony.
■ Exhibitions
Inventors recognized
Taiwanese inventors won three special country awards as well as nine gold, three silver and four bronze medals at the 31st International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, an official of the Taiwan Inventors Association said in Geneva on Saturday. The exhibition, which opened on Wednesday, featured 1,000 new inventions presented by inventors from 48 countries. Their inventions ranged from small handy items to heavy-duty engineering devices. Chen Tai-chung (陳台宗), president of the Taiwan Inventors Association, said local representatives entered 16 inventions at the exhibition. They included newly created semiconductor chips, fabrics, bicycles, shoes, fire-proof building materials and porcelain. Most of the inventions are patented in several countries, he said.
■ SARS
Disease boosts demand
The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has prompted an increase in demand for video conferencing and wireless telecommunications facilities among local businesses, industry sources said. In a bid to avoid contraction of the deadly disease, leaders of the business community have resorted to video conferences instead of flying abroad for gatherings. Private-sector demand for broadband Internet services needed for cyber meetings has surged to meet cross-border business needs, the sources said. Hu Ding-hua (胡定華), chairman of Zyxel Communications Corp, claimed that the spread of SARS since the middle of March has changed people's business practices and life attitude in a short period of time.
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