■ Cross-strait ties
DPP seeks united front
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday that its legislative caucus will seek the support of other parties for its March 26 protest against China's proposed "anti-secession" law. DPP caucus whip Lai Ching-teh (賴清德) told a press conference at the Legislative Yuan yesterday that given the importance of the rally, caucus members would approach other lawmakers to sign a joint declaration of support for the parade. "The March 26 parade is to be the first time in Taiwan's history that we will have marched in response to China. Everyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnic group, or party should unite together," Lai said. He said the caucus also plans to propose that the legislature invite all party leaders to a summit where they can come up with a joint reaction to the anti-secession law.
■ Travel
Visa-free tourists in Japan
Japan's visa waiver for tourists from Taiwan during the Aichi World Exposition came into force yesterday, with the arrival of 151 Taiwanese visitors in Hokkaido. They were the first group of Taiwanese tourists to enjoy the visa-free privilege. Japanese public television channel NHK footage showed an arriving tourist who said the people of Taiwan generally welcome the visa waiver. A Taiwanese tour guide told an NHK reporter that he believes the visa-free privilege will help boost the number of Taiwanese visitors to Japan by 20 percent to 30 percent this year. More than 1 million Taiwanese visited Japan last year.
■ Politics
KMT marks death of Sun
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's (孫逸仙) death, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will hold an exhibition of artifacts relating to Sun in the party's headquarters starting today. The exhibition, located in the main lobby, will include historical documents from Sun's time, a map of the National Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing and Sun's clothing. In a statement issued by the party yesterday, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) used the anniversary of Sun's death to urge unity under the banner of the Republic of China and to criticize pro-independence factions. "Today, we remember the anniversary of Sun's death while facing escalated tensions across the Taiwan Strait and threats to the safety of Taiwan. More now than ever, we must unite [under Sun's wishes for] `peace, struggle, and save Taiwan,'" Lien's statement yesterday. Sun died in Beijing on March 12, 1925.
■ Government
Chen talks about new agency
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that he expects the proposed national communication commission (NCC) would be "fair, independent and just" when it begins operations. Chen made the remarks when receiving a group of foreign visitors who are attending an international seminar in Taipei focusing on national telecommunication and broadcasting policies. The Cabinet has approved draft amendments to abolish the Government Information Office and replace it with the commission. If the proposed amendments are approved by the legislature, the NCC would be an independent entity and the sole supervisory body of the telecommunications and media industries. The major tasks facing the proposed commission include promoting fair competition, enhancement of related industries' national competitiveness and safeguarding consumers' rights, the president told his visitors.
■ Lawyers' group slams China
The Taiwan Bar Association issued a public statement yesterday calling for China to pull back on its enactment of an "anti-secession" law targeting Taiwan "before it's too late." The association, which includes some 4,000 lawyers practicing in Taiwan, urged the Chinese regime not to enact the proposed law to avoid undermining an atmosphere that is conducive to accelerating cross-strait engagement and shun actions that will lead both sides of the strait to a mutually destructive doomsday. The Taiwanese lawyers said that after failing to push its "pro-unification, anti-independence" scheme, Beijing authorized its State Council and Central Military Commission to take Taiwan by "non-peaceful means" if it thinks Taiwan is making moves toward independence. This pre-emptive plot will change the cross-strait status quo unilaterally and also hurts the feelings of the people of Taiwan, the statement says, adding that the law also infringes upon the Taiwanese people's rights to survival and autonomy.
■ Diplomacy
Minnesota governor invited
An official of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago has invited Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to visit Taiwan during his trip to China and Hong Kong later this year. Shao Ping-yun (邵平雲), an information official at the Chicago office, made the invitation in a letter he sent to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the largest newspaper in Minnesota. Pawlenty is scheduled to lead a delegation to visit China and Hong Kong in November to inspect the information technology (IT) industry there. Noting that Taiwan excels in the IT industry, Shao urged the governor to include Taiwan in his trip.
Typhoon Champi is forecast to turn northward earlier than previously expected, sparing Taiwan a direct hit but still bringing heavy rain to the north of the country on Friday and Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Typhoon Champi had strengthened and increased in size over the past 12 hours, and as of yesterday afternoon, was packing sustained winds of 198kph near its center, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) said. However, due to the weakening of a Pacific high-pressure system the storm is now expected to turn northward earlier than initially forecast, likely around Japan’s Ishigaki Island, Cheng said. As Champi brushes
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US if the contract is finalized, the Ministry of National Defense said The navy and the coast guard reportedly plan to acquire 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) surveillance drones. The Navy said it would procure the drones through an open bidding process. If the contract is awarded and finalized, it would make Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the US-based defense technology company Shield AI. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion (US$37.1 million) to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under
A patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to the Philippines would not be used in waters near Taiwan or areas where Taiwanese fishing vessels operate, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. The vessel, formerly the CGA's 500-tonne-class Kinmen (金門), was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard on Oct. 2. Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho said the Philippines had pledged during the donation process that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not operate in waters related to Taiwan. The vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan if needed, he added. Responding to questions from Chinese
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