■ Politics
Beijing diplomat defends law
China's recent adoption of an "Anti-Secession" Law aimed at Taiwan is meant to bring about "peaceful national reunification," thee Chinese ambassador to Singapore Zhang Yun (張云) said yesterday. Speaking to the Foreign Correspondents Association of Singapore, Zhang defended the law passed last week by the National People's Congress, which triggered criticism from the US and Japan. "This law is meant to strengthen and promote cross-strait relations and bring about peaceful national reunification," Zhang said. "It is by no means a law on use of force against Taiwan, even less a law targeting Taiwan compatriots," he said. The law authorizes "non-peaceful" means against Taiwan if it moves toward formal independence.
■ Earthquake
Tremor shakes Nanao
A moderate earthquake shook northeastern Taiwan yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. The 4.8-magnitude quake was centered 12km southwest of Nanao, the weather bureau said. Nanao is 90km southeast of Taipei.
■ Health
Lu suffers dry eye relapse
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) suffered a relapse of dry eye syndrome Monday during a transit stop in Miami on her way back to Taiwan after concluding a trip to Central America. She recovered after medical treatment. She is scheduled to return to Taiwan today.
■ Economy
CSBC plans name change
China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC) president Fan Kuang-nan (范光男) said yesterday that a plan to change the company's name will cost an estimated NT$140 million (US$4.46 million). Fan told the legislature's Sci-Tech and Information Committee that the company submitted its name-change proposal to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in late January. The company is considering changing its name to "Central Shipbuilding Corp" or "Chungchuan Shipbuilding Corp" and will maintain its Chinese and English abbreviations to lessen the impact on its brand value, Fan said. According to Fan, CSBC is a reputable company in the international shipbuilding industry, with a brand value estimated at over NT$1 billion. The government has put forth a plan to change the names of state-run enterprises that bear the word "China" or "Chinese" to avoid confusion with those in China.
■ Politics
Chen's presence `irrelevant'
Whether President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) should take part in Saturday's protest to express anger over China's recent enactment of its "Anti-Secession" Law is beside the point, a US expert said on Tuesday. John Tkacik, a research fellow in China Policy at the Heritage Foundation, made the remarks at a seminar sponsored by the pro-independence Formosan Association for Public Affairs in Washington. According to Tkacik, Beijing has "irrationally" enacted the Anti-Secession Law and Taiwan has no need to counter it by adopting an anti-annexation law, making irrational moves to even the score, or by mobilizing a government-led protest march. But if it were the private sector mobilizing a million-people protest march on its own, it would underscore the will of the Taiwanese people to the international community, he said.
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner