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Taiwan Quick Take

■ DIPLOMACY
Lu to visit South America
The Presidential Office confirmed yesterday that Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) will visit Latin America next month, but rejected allegations that the trip was "checkbook diplomacy." The Presidential Office issued a statement saying that details of Lu's planned trip to visit diplomatic allies in Central and South America are being arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the purpose of the trip is to enhance exchanges and cement diplomatic ties. The statement said Lu's trip was not to dole out money to allies and that reports about "checkbook diplomacy" were full of false allegations, urging the media to stop speculating and to put the nation's diplomatic interests first. The statement was made in response to a report published in yesterday's edition of the Chinese-language China Times.

■ EDUCATION
Skills workshop planned
A training workshop for second-generation overseas Taiwanese to learn skills in international trade -- particularly how to promote Taiwanese products -- is scheduled to open in Taipei on Thursday, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) said yesterday. Forty young men and women from around the world are expected to attend the six-week business workshop organized by TAITRA at the request of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission, TAITRA officials said. TAITRA and commission officials hope that these young Taiwanese descendants from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Paraguay and Southeast Asia will pick up skills in international trade -- including marketing, international business norms and business communications -- after receiving intensive training at the 38-day workshop.

■ CRIME
Cops name councilor's killer
Taipei County police yesterday identified Lan Chia-wei (藍家偉), 36, as the alleged killer of Taipei County councilor Wu Shan-jeou (吳善九). Police published Lan's photo and said Lan -- who fled to southern Taiwan after the shooting -- is armed and extremely dangerous. Police said they suspect Lan committed the crime and was helped by Banciao gangster Wu Hsin-chung (吳信中), who entered China a couple of days after the crime. Police said that Wu Hsin-chung and his friends had been found to be involved in environmental clean-up businesses and that the murder was probably related to it. Wu Shan-jeou, who was a People First Party (PFP) member, often brought up environmental issues at council meetings. The councilor was gunned down in his office in Sindian (新店), Taipei County, on May 23.

■ POLITICS
Officials dismiss spies story
The Presidential Office yesterday dismissed allegations that President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) revelation of China's missiles targeted at Taiwan in the run-up to the 2004 presidential election led to the arrests of more than 30 Taiwanese spies operating in China. The Presidential Office issued a statement dismissing a story published in yesterday's edition of the Chinese-language China Times as "groundless." The report alleged that Chen disclosed the intelligence in November 2003 in a bid to push the "defensive referendum" and boost his odds of winning the election. The move angered Beijing, which, as a retaliatory measure, arrested more than 30 China-based Taiwanese businesspeople.

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