Taiwan Quick Take

■ Transportation
Bus firm's utilities cut
The water and electricity at Aloha Bus Corp's Cheng-De Station were cut yesterday morning by the Taipei City Government. The move was criticized by the chair of the bus company, who said that the city government was overreacting. But officials from the Department of Transportation, who went to the station accompanied by dozens of police, said that the department had issued notices on Jan. 4 and Jan. 6 warning that water and electricity would be cut. They added that the city government had issued an ultimatum to the bus company almost two months ago, asking the firm to relocate their stops along Cheng-De Road to the city's new transit center near the Taipei Railway Station. The bus company said yesterday it would still not relocate its stops, and claimed that there were unresolved safety issues at the new transit center. The company then parked eight buses across Cheng-De Road to block traffic, but the vehicles were removed by the police.

■ Business
Hu Jintao courts investors
China President Hu Jintao
(胡錦濤) told businesspeople in Xiamen, Fujian's commercial center, that China "welcomes more Taiwanese to come to the mainland to develop," according to a report on China's state-run television. Hu said growing Taiwanese investment in the mainland served the interests of both sides. "Taiwanese business investment in the mainland helps improve economic returns and benefits economic and trade cooperation between the two sides of the Strait," Hu said. His comments cut against recent warnings from President Chen Shui-bian(陳水扁) that rising Taiwanese investment in China is bad for Taiwan's economy. "The status quo is being changed gradually and steadily with more and more Taiwanese capital flowing to China," Chen said on Jan. 9.

■ Health
Brothers to return Tuesday
Three from Taiwan who are suffering from a rare degenerative disease known as adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) will leave the US for home next Tuesday. Chang Ming-hui (張明輝), father of the three brothers, said in a telephone interview with CNA that his sons were very excited about returning home for the Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 29. He noted that the condition of the trio is "stable," and that the home trip has had the prior approval of the Minnesota State University's medical center, where the siblings have received medical treatment for the past year. "The medical center has made preparations to conduct bone marrow transplants if necessary," he said. Chang and his wife accompanied their sons to the US in January last year, and the center has checked and followed their illness closely.

■ Arts
German gets cultural award
Taiwan presented an award to Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, president of Germany's Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation for his contribution to promoting a successful exhibition of historic treasures from Taipei in Berlin in 2003. Taiwan's representative to Germany, Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉), awarded Lehmann a plaque featuring the title of "Cultural Goodwill Ambassador" on Thursday at a ceremony attended by dozens of representatives of Germany's political, economic and cultural sectors. After the efforts of Lehmann and his foundation, an unprecedented exhibition from the Taipei-based National Palace Museum collection was finally opened at the historic Altes Museum on the Museum Island in Berlin in July, 2003.