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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Politics
Yu touts independence
During an event in Taipei County yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that the party would help Taiwan become a "normal" country within the next decade. Yu told party members in Taipei County that the DPP had been unable to achieve its goals for the nation was because it does not control the majority in the legislature. He said that a new constitution was a priority, as was joining the UN under the name "Taiwan." He added that the nation also needed to enhance its ability to defend itself. "This goal can be achieved within the next 10 years," he said. "As to how this can be done, I will elaborate in the future. But this [goal] can be achieved. Unlike the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT], which has never advocated Taiwanese independence, the DPP has a sacred mission: We will help Taiwan become a normal country," he said.

■ Labor Rights
Workers' rights enforced
Foreign domestic helpers are entitled to a reasonable amount of time off and personal space, and employers who violate these rights will be fined, Taipei's top official in charge of labor affairs said yesterday. Su Ying-kuei (蘇盈貴), director of the Taipei City Government's Department of Labor, said that from next month, all of the 914 Taipei families who employ foreign helpers will be required to provide a single room exclusively for the domestic helper's use and to allow the helper to sleep for at least eight consecutive hours, as demanded by Philippine authorities in charge of overseas employment. Violators will be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000, and repeat violators could have their permits to hire foreign helpers revoked, Su said.

■ Society
Chao resigns: report
President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘) tendered his resignation from National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital last week, the Central News Agency reported yesterday. Hospital spokesman Lin He-hsiung (林鶴雄) confirmed yesterday afternoon that Chao's resignation had been approved by the hospital and will take effect tomorrow. The hospital's Clinical Ethics Committee voted down Chao's request to return to his position in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery last October. Chao was sentenced to six years in jail by the Taipei District court in December. The Presidential Office said yesterday that first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) did not lobby NTU Hospital to let her son-in-law return to work. "The report is totally unfounded," the statement said.

■ Diplomacy
Countries approve change
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman David Wang (王建業) said that five countries that do not have diplomatic relations with the nation have agreed to add the name "Taiwan" under Taiwan's official national title "Republic of China" on the signs in Taiwan's overseas representative offices. Papua New Guinea is one of the five, he said. Wang said that the ministry has been pushing a name change policy for the nation's overseas representative offices and embassies for several years. He said change was being made to avoid Taiwan being mistaken for China. It has nothing to with changing the cross-strait "status quo," Wang said.

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