An elderly veteran recently donated all of his savings to help needy people in a show of his love for Taiwan.
Wang Chun-chung (王鈞忠), 86, who is living at the Pakuashan Veterans Home in central Taiwan, mailed a check for NT$1.3 million to Shen Chun-hua (沈春華), a China Television Co anchor, asking her to use the money to help those who most need assistance.
Wang said in his letter that he was worried about ethnic rifts in the wake of the presidential election.
In his view, Wang said, the growing ethnic disharmony is detrimental to the nation's development.
"Therefore, I'm determined to donate my savings to help needy people as my way to give something back to the island," Wang wrote in his letter.
Wang said he has only deducted a small sum of money to finance his future living expenses and funeral costs. He has to pay for his accommodation at the Pakuashan Veterans Home.
Wang came from China with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and retired in 1969. He didn't marry and has no relatives in Taiwan.
"I have habitually led a simple life and do not need much money," he wrote.
After an evening paper reported Wang's philanthropy, many reporters tried to interview him. But Wang declined any publicity.
Wang's friends at the veteran's home said he is a fan of Shen.
"As Shen has often reported on news events regarding disadvantaged people, Wang decided to donate his savings to poor people through Shen," said one of the friends.
In the fiery and bruising presidential campaign, ethnic origin was used by some politicians as a tool to woo voters. Ethnic rifts seemed to become more serious after China-born KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Lien has filed a lawsuit to nullify the election on the grounds that an election-eve shooting of Chen unfairly swayed sympathy votes in Chen's favor.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
The eastern extension of the Taipei MRT Red Line could begin operations as early as late June, the Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said yesterday. Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said it is considering offering one month of free rides on the new section to mark its opening. Construction progress on the 1.4km extension, which is to run from the current terminal Xiangshan Station to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, was 90.6 percent complete by the end of last month, the department said in a report to the Taipei City Council's Transportation Committee. While construction began in October 2016 with an
RSS