President Chen Shui-bian (
"To have both late presidents Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo buried in Taiwan is the Chiang family's wish, and we should respect that," Chen said while attending an event hosted by the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen to commemorate Chiang Kai-shek's 118th birthday yesterday.
The two Chiangs have for decades laid embalmed in temporary mausoleums. This July, Chiang Ching-kuo's widow, Faina Chiang Fang-liang (蔣方良) requested that they be buried in the military mausoleum on Wuchihshan.
Chen said that "for the sake of national unity and social harmony, I'd like to call on these people to be more tolerant and respectful."
He clarified that the current state burial of the State Funeral Law is very simple and solemn.
"According to current rules, the flag will be lowered to half-mast only on the day of the state funeral; flags will not be lowered to half-mast for 30 consecutive days nor will there be any suspension of entertainment events for 30 days," Chen said.
He was alluding to the ceremonial funeral which took place when Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975, during which public observances of the death included a period during which all TV programs were changed to air only in black and white, and flags were lowered to half-mast for nearly a month.
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) yesterday criticized Chen for his remarks, saying they were aimed at securing veterans' votes in favor of the Democratic Progressive Party in the December legislative elections.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost