Print

Mail

wiki links

Taiwan quick take

■Education
Foreign students to enroll
A total of 948 ethnic Chinese from Malaysia have been admitted to Taiwanese universities this summer, a 10-year high, said Chen Chih-cheng (陳志成), president of the Federation of Alumni Association of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia. More than 1,000 students applied to enter Taiwan's universities, Chen said. Among them, 453 will enroll in the universities directly, including 24 who will be admitted to medical universities. The other 495 will study language at the National University Preparation School for Overseas Chinese Students in Linko, Taipei County. Chen said his federation has started a fund to help students who want to study in Taiwan but cannot afford the tuition.

■ Water
Supplies cut in south
Water supplies from the Tsengwen and Wushantou reservoirs channeled to industrial users in southern Taiwan were cut 50 percent starting yesterday, and supplies for the general public were cut 20 percent because water in the two reservoirs has dropped to very low levels. An official of the Chianan Farm Land and Water Conservation Association said yesterday that the two reservoirs will supply a combined total of 400,000m3 of water daily. He said people in southern Taiwan will still have sufficient water to use because the Nanhua Reservoir has plenty of water to meet their needs. Nanhua is the main supplier of water to the urban areas in Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung counties.

■ Donations
Diaspora helps out
Overseas Chinese organizations in the Japanese cities of Yokohama and Shizuoka have donated ?4 million (US$33,700) as well as 4,500 medical masks and 100 thermometers to help Taiwan control SARS. The donations were accepted on behalf of the government by T. H. Chen (陳調和), director general of the Yokohama Branch of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan. The organizations making the donations included the Taiwanese Association in Yokohama, the Federation of Overseas Chinese Organizations in Yokohama, and the Overseas Chinese Dentists and Medical Doctors Association in Shizuoka.

■ SARS
US CDC official recovers
A doctor from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who had developed a fever while in Taiwan in May to help in the nation's efforts to contain SARS , has recovered and resumed work, a CDC spokesman said Wednesday. The CDC specialist had been placed in home quarantine for 10 days after being airlifted back to Atlanta, Georgia on May 23 on suspicion of having contracted SARS, CDC spokesman Llelwyn Grant said.

■ Fisheries
Whale shark quota reached
The number of whale sharks caught this year in Taiwan reached the legal limit of 80 as of Wednesday and no more can be taken until a new yearly quota is established on July 1, the Council of Agriculture announced yesterday. Fishermen who violate the regulations will face up to three years in prison in addition to fines of up to NT$150,000 (US$4,285), officials of the Fisheries Administration said. The fishery officials said that the whale shark, called "tofu shark" by local fishermen because of the delicate texture of its meat, is a favorite of fishermen.

Agencies
This story has been viewed 1680 times.