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Taiwan Quick Take

■ MILITARY
Army confirms sex abuse
The Army Command Headquarters yesterday confirmed a case of sexual abuse that took place inside the headquarters' complex in Lungtan (龍潭), Taoyuan County last month. Army spokesman Lieutenant General Chou Yen-chung (周彥中) said the abuse occurred on May 8, when a male colonel at the headquarters forced a male major to perform intercourse when the colonel was allegedly drunk. Military prosecutors are not investigating the case, Chou said. The Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily reported that the colonel is in charge of personnel affairs at the headquarters. The Apple Daily also said the major did not fight back because he was afraid that he would be charged with "violence against a superior officer."

■ DIPLOMACY
Chen confirms UN bid
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) confirmed yesterday that the government plans to apply for full membership in the UN under the name "Taiwan" in September. Chen admitted that the bid might "appear impossible" to some at present, but he claimed that Taiwan will "eventually" achieve its goal of joining the UN if it makes the first move. Despite the failure of its bid to become a full member of the WHO last month, the nation will continue to push forward with the WHO bid next year, he said. Chen made the remarks while he was addressing a luncheon to mark the third anniversary of the founding of the Love Taiwan Association in Tainan City. After failing in its bid to participate as an observer in the World Health Assembly -- the WHO's decision-making arm -- for the past 10 years because of obstruction by China, Taiwan applied for full WHO membership for the first time this year. However, that bid was thwarted.

■ DIPLOMACY
Guatemalan leader to visit
Guatemalan President Oscar Berger Perdomo said that he will visit Taiwan later this month as originally scheduled. Berger made the remarks in an interview with a Guatemalan newspaper that was published on Friday. Berger is scheduled to depart for Taipei on June 17 for a state visit during which he will sign three agreements with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). The agreements will boost bilateral cooperation in various fields. Berger has said his country would not follow Costa Rica's lead in switching diplomatic allegiance to Beijing. Berger also described Guatemala-Taiwan ties as being in their best shape ever.

■ TRADE
Inventors showcase designs
A delegation of Taiwanese inventors from enterprises, colleges, universities and research institutes showcased dozens of inventions at the 23rd Invention and New Product Exposition (INPEX) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The expo was a three-day event that concluded yesterday. The group from Taiwan set up 19 stalls, displaying innovative products and designs ranging from body-shaping underwear to tandem bikes made from recycled materials. It was the largest Taiwanese group ever to have taken part in the annual show, said Chen Chung-tai (陳宗台), chairman of the Taiwan Inventors Association. The Pittsburgh INPEX -- one of the largest shows of its kind in the US -- included more than 900 innovations, new product ideas and technologies, brought by inventors from 20 countries.

■ EDUCATION
Teens to go on exchanges
Rotary International District 3520 will send 50 trained teenagers aged between 15 and 19 abroad this year for cultural exchanges, a representative of the district said yesterday. Hipo Chen (陳思明), chairman of the district's Youth Exchange Program, said the students have completed their five-month training courses and will leave in August for their host countries. Among them, 48 students will be in long-term exchange programs, with 18 heading for North America, 16 for Europe, three for Japan and 11 to Central and South America, he said. Two others are bound for short-term exchange programs, he said. The students will stay at pre-arranged homestays and will learn language and culture at local schools. Each of them will be given a monthly allowance of US$100, Chen said.

■ TOURISM
Philippines plugs tourism
The Philippines government is rolling out a series of promotions in the hope of attracting more Taiwanese tourists. "We will try to present various tour packages to attract different types of Taiwanese tourists. Some of them visit the Philippines purely for sightseeing, while some come to play golf," said Ireneo Reyes, senior tourism operation officer at the Department of Tourism. Reyes estimated that more than 100,000 Taiwanese tourists visited the Philippines last year. The latest statistics from this year show a 7 percent increase in the number of tourists from the same period of last year, he said. The Manila Economic and Cultural Office has published a Chinese-language guide titled Inside Guide: Philippines. "We hope that readers will gain a better understanding of Filipinos," Reyes said.


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