Taiwan Quick Take

■ Society
Ma's father dies
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) father Ma Ho-ling (馬鶴凌) died last night at Cathay General Hospital after the family agreed to pull life support. He was 86. His body will be transferred to the city's No. 2 Funeral House. The senior Ma expressed in his will that he would like to be cremated and buried alongside his mother. Ma Ho-ling was rushed to the hospital on Sunday afternoon after suffering a heart attack. He had remained in a coma since. He showed no signs of life upon arrival, but his heart began beating again after first aid was administered. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) expressed their condolences upon learning of the news last night.

■ Health
DPP warns on China visits
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday warned travelers to China of the avian-flu threat after signs appeared that Chinese authorities might be concealing information about bird-flu outbreaks. William Lai (賴清德), a DPP legislative caucus whip, said Beijing has been reluctant to open its doors to World Health Organization experts to engage in investigations in avian flu-affected areas in China, insisting that there have been no documented human cases of bird flu in the country despite several outbreaks among poultry reported in the past several weeks. He added that outbreaks have been reported in Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Anhui and Hunan, while a 12-year-old girl in Hunan Province was reported to have died after showing flu-like symptoms

■ Military affairs
The hunt for `Samho Brother'
Minister of National Defense Lee Jye (李傑) said yesterday that weather permitting, he will dispatch a naval vessel that will use sonar to attempt to locate the exact position of an overturned cargo ship carrying a payload of benzene off Hsinchu. Lee said last week that he had been embarrassed after F-16 jet fighters tried to bomb the ship to sink it. Most of the bombs missed, and helicopters carrying hellfire missiles were also unsuccessful. Reports at the time said the vessel was holed, but did not explode or sink. A helicopter inspection on Sunday found that there was no trace of the ship, while the water in the area was a silver-gray color, suggesting that the benzene may have leaked into the water -- the very situation the bombing was meant to prevent. The South Korean-registered Samho Brother capsized on Oct. 10 after a collision with another vessel. All 14 crewmembers were rescued. In addition to its cargo of benzene, the Samho Brother was carrying 85 tonnes of fuel oil and 16 tonnes of diesel.

■ Foreign affairs
Ramos arrives for visit
Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos and his wife, at the head of a 15-member delegation, arrived yesterday for a six-day visit at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). MOFA Spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said that the visit by Ramos, who has always taken a pro-Taiwan stance, is expected to help boost economic and trade relations between Taiwan and the Philippines. Lu noted that this is Ramos' second visit to the country. He visited Taiwan for the first time in September 2000. While here, Ramos will meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Foreign Affairs Minister Mark Chen (陳唐山) and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to exchange views on issues of mutual concern, Lu said.