■ Diplomacy
Clinton to visit on Sunday
Former US president Bill Clinton will meet President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) during a whirlwind visit to Taipei on Sunday that could annoy China. Clinton will arrive in Taipei at the invitation of the government and deliver a speech on democracy and security, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶隆). Lu said a dinner meeting between Clinton and Chen was being arranged for Sunday. Clinton visited China this week where he praised Beijing's efforts to combat AIDS and pledged his foundation would donate drugs and offer training to doctors. As president, Clinton sent two aircraft carrier groups to waters near Taiwan in 1996 to cool tensions after Beijing test-fired missiles in an attempt to sway voters in Taiwan's first direct presidential election that year.
■ Diplomacy
Lu to visit Latin America
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) announced Wednesday that she will be heading a business delegation to visit El Salvador and Guatemala next month in a bid to cement Taiwan's relations with the two Latin American countries. Among the issues to be discussed will be proposals to build a "Taiwan Park" industrial zone in El Salvador, and to establish a vocational training center called the Taiwan Institute for Development. The visit comes amid speculation that China is making investment overtures to some or all of Taiwan's 25 diplomatic allies in the region, urging them to recognize Beijing rather than Taipei. Guatemalan Economics Minister Marcio Cuevas plans to visit China in April, prompting Taipei to worry that Taiwan-Guatemala ties are shaky. Lu's visit will begin March 12.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
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