■ Appointments
Huang to join the MAC
Huang Wei-fong (黃偉峰), an associate researcher in European and American Studies at Academia Sinica, has been tapped to be a vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), media reports said yesterday. Chiu Tai-shan (邱太三), the first MAC vice chairman, confirmed that Huang is being considered for the MAC post, but said the appointment will not be final until the Cabinet makes an announcement. Huang, 39, who has a master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in political science from Oxford University, is versed in contemporary Western political theories, American and British politics, EU politics, election strategies and political sociology. Huang, a son of former Central Election Commission Chairman Huang Shih-cheng (黃石城), will be the third MAC vice chairman.
■ Justice
Publisher accepts sentence
Scoop magazine's Publisher Shen Jung (沈嶸) said on Friday she will not appeal her sentence of two years in prison in the Chu Mei-feng (璩美鳳) sex-VCD case. A district court's verdict sentenced her to two years and two months but on Friday, the Taiwan High Court decreased her sentence to two years. Although Shen said she will not appeal, other defendants in the case said they have not made up their minds regarding appealing to the Supreme Court. Shen was indicted after prosecutors argued the magazine was "selling the private lives of others for profit" by giving away copies of the VCD.
■ Cross-strait ties
Matsu faithful head to China
More than 800 Taiwan followers of Matsu, the goddess of the sea, will attend the first Matsu Cultural Festival in Tianjin, northern China on Sept. 25, sources said yesterday. An 11-member delegation from Tianjin City visited Chenlan Temple (鎮瀾宮) in Tachia (大甲) in central Taiwan in July. They invited officials and followers from Taiwan's largest Matsu temple to attend the festival and escort a statue of the goddess to China to be enshrined in Tianjin's Matsu Temple. The temple, established in 1326, was the northernmost "home" of Matsu -- a goddess who has been worshipped for thousands of years by the Chinese, but mostly by people from coastal areas. A major rejuvenation of the temple is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month after it was severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution.
■ Politics
Cross-strait talks urged
The Association of Penghu Residents in Taipei City announced a "Peace Declaration" at the Grand Hotel yesterday, urging leaders on either side of the Taiwan Strait to reduce arms procurement. The group also urged the holding of peace negotiations in Penghu to establish a "Great Chinese Economic Alliance." Lu Chun-hui (盧春輝), the chief of the association, said yesterday that Penghu Island has been a bridge between Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants for the past 700 years. The association advocates the transfer of Penghu from a midway island to an area consigned by the UN. Lu said the association will promote referendums on whether to maintain Penghu's status quo or alter Penghu from a county to a special administrative district subordinate to the Executive Yuan.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
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