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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Foreign affairs
Swiss change Taiwan's name
The Swiss government reiterated on Thursday that its move to change Taiwan's designation on alien resident certificates it issues to Taiwan nationals residing in Switzerland is an "internal administrative measure. The measure is mainly aimed at unifying Taiwan's designation on the alien resident certificates issued by various Swiss state governments and has nothing to do with Taiwan's official title," said a spokesman for the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since Aug. 6, the nationality of ROC passport holders has been identified as "Chinese Taipei" on their residence certificates issued by Swiss authorities. Prior to that, the spokesman said, Taiwan's designation varied on those documents issued by various Swiss state governments. As Taiwan is designated as "Chinese Taipei" by the International Olympic Committee and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, the spokesman said, the Swiss federal government has ordered its state governments to use the same title on the alien resident certificates they issue to ROC nationals.

■ Diplomacy
Chen greets VIPs
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) on Thursday received 265 foreign guests at the Presidential Office and accepted their congratulations on the Republic of China's National Day. The well-wishers included 65 members of congratulatory missions, 33 members of the diplomatic corps in Taipei, 67 representatives of other foreign missions in Taipei, 59 parliamentarians from various countries, and 35 foreign journalists. Among the dignitaries were Gambian President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh, Malawian President Bakili Muluzi and American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal.

■ Charity
Help for Malawi urged
World Vision Taiwan (WVT) urged people Thursday to provide more help for poverty-stricken children in Malawi, which is in the grip of a famine. Chen Wei-chih, director of WVT's eastern office, said Malawi suffered serious flooding in 1992 and 1996 which led to the current famine. The charity launched a campaign in 1996 to help some 2,500 children in Malawi and in the last seven years, Taiwanese have helped construct schools and clinics in that country, as well as offering agricultural equipment and training. Noting that the average life expectancy in Malawi is 40.7 and the mortality of its children under the age of five is 18.8 percent, Chen urged people to demonstrate their love and make generous donations.

■ Society
Fewer flags displayed
Near 30 percent of the Aboriginal settlements in Taitung displayed the Republic of China (ROC) flag yesterday to celebrate the Double Ten National Day -- topping other ethnic groups. The Yung-an Amis settlement of Lu-yeh township in particular was awash with flags. Once Taiwan was a ocean of national flags on the national-day holiday, but this has become less common in recent years. Even on farmland owned and run by the Veteran Affairs Commission only a few flags could be seen yesterday. In Taitung, only a few government institutes and schools had hung the flag. Compared to other ethnic groups' lukewarm reaction to the national day, Taitung's Aboriginal areas saw a nearly 30 percent of residents hanging the ROC flag outside their houses.

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