Former speaker of the Kaohsiung City Council Chu An-hsiung (朱安雄) tops the list of the nation's 10 most wanted fugitives, the Cabinet announced yesterday. A cash reward of up to NT$10 million is being offered for information leading to the arrest of any of these fugitives, regardless of the informant's nationality.
Although even PRC citizens can come forward with information, the reward does not apply to judicial or martial prosecutors, police officers, law enforcement officers or domestic or foreign government officials investigating major criminal cases.
Despite the government's efforts, a Cabinet official who asked not to be named said that the list is politically motivated.
"If you closely study the list, you'll find that only two are wanted for undermining social security," the official said, insinuating that the remaining eight are involved in political cases.
The other people on the list are Wu Tse-yuan (伍澤元), a former member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and independent lawmaker, Liu Kuan-chun (劉冠軍), former chief cashier of the National Security Bureau, Andrew Wang (汪傳浦), a murder suspect, Eddie Liu (劉偉杰), an embezzlement suspect, Chen You-hao (陳由豪), former chairman of the Tuntex Group, Chang Wan-li (張萬利), former chairman of the Jin Wen Institute of Technology, Hsueh Chiu (薛球) and Chen Yi-hua (陳益華), kidnappers, and Chang Chao-chuan (張朝權), former Changhua County deputy commissioner.
Wu was convicted on corruption and fraud charges in 1996 for his involvement in the 1992 Sipiantou (
The Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation believes that its special agents have spotted Wu in Guangzhou, China.
Liu Kuan-chun is suspected of embezzling more than NT$192 million from the National Security Bureau. According to the Bureau of Investigation, he left Taiwan in September 2000 and went to Shanghai. He surfaced in Bangkok in January last year and then went to North America. Sources said that he is now in Canada.
Wang has been wanted since September 2000 in connection with the murder of navy Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) in December 1993. He is suspected of having received a share of a secret commission for having played an instrumental role in securing the deal for a French company, Thomson CSF, now called Thales, to build six Lafayette frigates for Taiwan.
Eddie Liu allegedly embezzled NT$3 billion from Lee and Li Attorneys-at-Law before he disappeared in August. Prosecutors believe Liu fled to Hong Kong after reportedly converting the stolen funds into diamonds.
Chen You-hao was indicted on charges of breach of trust. He reportedly left Taiwan for China last August. He was accused of stealing NT$800 million from the Tuntex Group's subsidiary Tunghua Development in 1995 and investing the money in China.
The Tuntex Group is one of the country's largest conglomerates, incorporating department stores, property development and construction. The group experienced a financial crisis in 1995 and 1996, which many attribute to the alleged theft.
Chang Wan-li was accused of embezzling money from the Jin Wen Institute before fleeing the country.
Hsueh Chiu (
Chang Chao-chuan had been charged with buying votes during the March 2000 presidential election before fleeing to Los Angeles.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
RSS