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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Foreign Affairs
Ministry announces postings
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently made a number of personnel changes, including posting former director-general of East Asia and Pacific Affairs Gary Lin (林松煥) to represent the nation in Australia and former director general of North American Affairs Victor Chin (秦日新) to be the representative in New Zealand. Donald Lee (李傳通), Lin's deputy, will fill the vacancy left by Lin, while Chin's position is expected to be taken by Leo Lee (李澄然), who formerly served as a political affairs section chief in the country's representative office in Washington. Chin's predecessor in New Zealand, Joseph Shih (石定), will become the ambassador to Belize, in Central America.

■ Defense
Group opposes arms bill
As legislators brace for a showdown on the long-delayed arms procurement bill tomorrow, an anti-arms procurement group yesterday called on the opposition pan-blue alliance to stick to its opposition to the purchase and not to cave in to US pressure. While President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has promised to boost the nation's defense spending to 3 percent of GDP by 2008, Huang Kuang-kuo (黃光國), convener of the Democratic Action Alliance, said that the nation should not engage in a military race with China, whose GDP is ranked fourth globally.

■ Infrastructure
KMT warns over freeway
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative caucus yesterday threatened to freeze the government budget and mobilize Hualien residents to stage a protest in Taipei if the Executive Yuan refuses to begin construction of a freeway connecting Suao and Hualien before Monday. Aboriginal Legislator Yang Jen-fu (楊仁福) of the KMT called on Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) to endorse the request when Yang visits Hsieh with 100 Hualien residents tomorrow, or face a freeze on the government budget for next year. KMT caucus whip Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛) said that the government must swiftly respond to their request because the legality of the budget for the project will expire if the government fails to use it by Monday.

■ Society
Folk musicians to perform
Famous Aboriginal folk musicians Lee Tai-hsiang (李泰祥) and Hu Kimbo (胡德夫) will perform today at an annual concert at the Presidential Office. Lee and Hu will publish rearranged pieces based on the works of Aboriginal musicians Uyongu E Yatauyungana (高一生, 1908-1954) of the Tsou Tribe and Biliwakes (陸寶森, 1910-1988) of the Puyuma Tribe. The concert will be broadcast live by both Indigenous TV and Philharmonic Radio Taipei FM 99.7 at 7:30pm.

■ Cross-strait ties
MAC urges HK to allow visit
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) called on the Hong Kong Administration to approve a visa application for council Vice Chairman You Ying-lung (游盈隆), who wishes to travel to Hong Kong to assist a student who has been detained there. Lee Chien-chen (李建誠), a student from National Taiwan University, was arrested by Hong Kong police during an anti-WTO protest on Dec. 18. Director of the MAC's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Tsai Jy-jon (蔡之中), held a press conference yesterday to relate the progress made in securing bail for the student. Tsai said the MAC has established a task force to handle the case and will report its progress every day on its Web site.

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