Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator John Chang (章孝嚴), an illegitimate son of former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), confirmed yesterday that he will officially begin using the surname Chiang to "reflect the truth."
Chang confirmed that the process of changing his name had been completed. He applied for the name change with the Ministry of the Interior in May 2002.
From yesterday, Chang said, he would be known as John Chiang, which appears on his new identification card.
"My three adult children support my decision, and they will also follow suit by changing their surname soon," Chiang said.
Speaking to reporters at the Legislative Yuan, Chiang -- who along with his twin brother Winston Chang were born in Guilin in Guangxi Province in 1941 to Chiang Ching-kuo and Chang Ya-juo (章亞若) -- said his name change was a family affair.
"I made the decision after extensive discussions with members of my immediate family and relatives. The change represents a respect for history, a return to the facts, and a realization of my parents' wishes," Chiang said.
Chiang, a former minister of foreign affairs and KMT secretary-general, said that it is no longer a secret that Chiang Ching-kuo is his natural father.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
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About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
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