Print

Mail

wiki links

Taiwan Quick Take

■ Public safety
Fireworks factory explodes
An explosion at a fireworks factory in Hsinfeng killed two people and injured 12 yesterday, rescue workers said. Cable station TVBS showed firefighters spraying piles of smoldering rubble after the blast ripped through the factory in the morning. The explosion's cause was under investi-gation, firefighters said. The factory was legal, but authorities were looking for its owner, firefighters said. The Jen Tzu Hospital in Hukou said the 12 injured were being treated for burns and lung damage. A fire-works explosion at an illegal plant in Chiayi County killed six people in June.

■ Diplomacy
Swazi PM promises UN help
Swazi Prime Minister Absa-lom Dlamini said yesterday his country will do whatever it can to help Taiwan join the UN and other major inter-national organizations. In terms of its population, democratic development and economic prosperity, Dla-mini said, Taiwan deserves a UN seat. Dlamini, who arrived in Taipei Friday to attend the Double Ten National Day celebrations, made the remarks after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) decorated him with the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon in recognition of his contri-butions to bilateral ties. Dlamini said the two countries have long cooperated closely in various fields, including public health, education, handicrafts, tourism, agriculture, investment promotion, information sharing and technological development. He expressed gratitude for Taiwan's long-term assistance in Swazi-land's national development.

■ Diplomacy
Israelis attend reception
Some 200 Israeli friends of Taiwan from the political, commercial, academic and media sectors attended a cocktail party on Sunday evening hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv to celebrate the Republic of China's 93rd National Day. The dignitaries included Israel Knesset member Shaul Yahalom, four parliamen-tarians and a media advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Representative to Israel Teng Shen-shen (鄧申生) cited figures released by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics and said that during the period from January to July this year, two-way trade grew 62.3 percent. Israel's exports to Taiwan expanded 180 percent to US$294 million during the period, while Taiwan's exports to Israel increasing 31 percent to US$270 million, according to the statistics. Teng said his office issued a total of 1,786 visas to Israelis last year, and 2,467 so far this year.

■ Health
Malaysian back for care
Malaysian-Chinese Chang Si-mei (張四妹), who suffers from congenital lamellar ichthyosis, an autosomal recessive disorder which can cause severe disfigurement, is back for skin cancer treatment, medical sources said yesterday. Chang, 47, is being treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linko, Taipei County, for cancer in her left foot, hospital offi-cials said. Chang first came to Taiwan in 1992 to receive treatment for disfigurement caused by the disease. Chang had confined herself to her tiny cottage room in Malaysia before the age of 35. She was discovered by Taiwanese writer Po Yang (柏楊) in 1992 during a journey to Malaysia. During her current stay, Chang said she plans to meet several "old friends," including Master Cheng Yen (証嚴), founder of the Buddhist Compassionate Relief Tzu Chi Foundation.

This story has been viewed 2292 times.