■ Politics
NTU activists continue sit-in
Lecturers and students from National Taiwan University continued a sit-in yesterday to express their opposition to Beijing's of the "Anti-Secession" Law targeting Taiwan. The sit-in began March 15 at noon, one day after China's rubber stamp National People's Congress passed the legislation in which Beijing gives itself the authority to use "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan should the nation seek formal independence. NTU students and some professors have been taking turns sitting in front of the NTU campus on Roosevelt Road in Taipei, to make known their opposition to the law. As their sit-in proceeded into its fourth day, more students from National Chengchi University joined the group. According to Yeh Hung-ling (葉紘麟), a graduate student at the NTU Institute of Political Science, the sit-in will go on until March 26 when a nationwide rally is expected to draw 1 million people to protest against the Anti-Secession Law.
■ Politics
Washington protest planned
Taiwanese expatriates in the US are scheduled to stage a demonstration in Washington on March 26 against China's "Anti-Secession" Law, organizers said on Thursday. The members from at least 13 Taiwanese groups led by the pro-independence Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) will protest to the Chinese embassy in Washington and gather on Capitol Hill to express their opposition to the law, which legalizes the use of force against Taiwan, FAPA officials said. They said the protesters will also urge the EU not to lift its arms embargo against China in light of Beijing's military threat against Taiwan.
■ UN Bid
Hsieh names top monikers
Taiwan and the Republic of China (ROC) are "top priority choices" for the name under which Taiwan should bid for its re-entry into the UN, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said yesterday. Hsieh made the remarks during an interpellation session at the legislature when Legislator Huang Hsih-cho (黃適卓) of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) asked if it is possible for the government to make its bid under the name of "Taiwan" after past bids under the name of the "ROC" have failed for 12 consecutive years. The premier said that both "Taiwan" and the "ROC" are top priority choices, adding that the name does not necessarily have to conform with the official name. The name of "Taiwan" can be used to join international organizations, while other names are equally acceptable if difficulties are encountered. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) also said it will be very difficult for the government to promote a return to the UN under the name of the Republic of China and said it is mulling a new mindset to promote the bid, although the name issue is yet to be finalized.
■ Culture
Group readies for US festival
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lin Cheng-erh (林正二) formed a preparatory group yesterday for Taiwan's participation in an Asian festival that will take place in Los Angeles and San Francisco in May. Lin, who is a lawmaker for Taiwan's aborigines, said the US set May aside as Asian Month in America in 1998. Many US cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, have since used the month to celebrate Asian cultural traditions, promote the understanding of Asia and Asian communities in America, and establish a strong bond between the Asian and non-Asian communities.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
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