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Taiwan Quick Take

■ POLITICS
Frank Hsieh to visit US
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) is scheduled to arrive in New York next Friday for a visit aimed at drumming up support for his presidential bid, a spokesman for the party's US East Coast chapter said on Wednesday. The visit will be Hsieh's first to the US since he was nominated by the DPP for next year's presidential election. During his trip from July 20 to July 30, dubbed a "journey of trust and love," Hsieh will expound on his policy visions on topics that concern the US, such as cross-strait relations and political developments in Taiwan, the spokesman said. Hsieh and DPP supporters on the US East Coast will attend a baseball game at Yankee Stadium to cheer on the team's Taiwanese star pitcher, Wang Chien-ming (王建民), the spokesman said. Hsieh and his supporters will also travel to Washington, the spokesman added.

■ WEATHER
CWB issues coast warning
The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) yesterday urged people to be careful when engaging in water activities in coastal areas as Typhoon Manyi sweeps past. Manyi, the fourth typhoon in the western Pacific area this year, will indirectly affect Taiwan by causing high waves, the CWB said yesterday. The typhoon was located about 740km southeast of the Japanese island of Okinawa at 2am yesterday, moving northwest at 25kph with maximum wind speeds near the center of 145kph, the weather bureau said. Meanwhile, the forecasters, said the weather in Taiwan will remain hot over the next two days, with temperatures reaching up to 35oC. Sporadic rainfall is expected around the country, and heavy rains are forecast for mountainous areas, they added.

■ DEFENSE
Ministry clarifies remarks
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday accused reporters of making mistakes in reports claiming that Minister of National Defense Lee Tien-yu (李天羽) had complained that the press was helping China with its constant criticism of certain government officials. The ministry issued a clarification in response to reports by the Military News Agency and the Youth Daily News about the minister's speech at a seminar for high-ranking officials on Tuesday. "Reporters from the two news outlets did not attend the minister's speech, so mistakes were made," a ministry press release said. The statement said that Lee had actually reminded military personnel to stay alert because China could take advantage of the media to disseminate false information. The release also said that neither outlet had assigned reporters to cover the seminar and instead based their stories on press releases. However, the press releases were inaccurate and some of Lee's comments were misinterpreted, the ministry said.

■ EMPLOYMENT
Longer terms take effect
Starting today, foreign blue-collar workers will be allowed to work in Taiwan for up to nine years, an official at the Cabinet-level Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) said yesterday. The announcement came a day after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) promulgated amendments to Article 52 of the Employment Services Act (就業服務法) passed by the Legislative Yuan on June 14. The revised provision extends the employment limit on foreign blue-collar workers from six to nine years. The CLA official said the extension is expected to help stabilize relations between local company owners and foreign workers and allow employers to retain skilled and experienced workers.

■ JUSTICE
Taipei loses subsidies fight
The Supreme Administrative Court yesterday ruled against the Taipei City Government in a dispute over labor insurance subsidies, meaning it will have to pay NT$1.4 billion (US$44 million) in subsidies it owes the Bureau of Labor Insurance. The Supreme Administrative Court's verdict was final. Taipei City Government owes labor insurance subsidies for August, September and December of 2004 and for April, 2005 to the bureau because of a difference of opinion in how laborers insurance should be paid. The city had withheld payment of subsidies for these months until the ruling was passed down. The city government believes laborers should pay insurance according to where their household registrations lie. However, judges decided that insurance should be paid according to where they work.

■ CRIME
Man tries to hijack boat
A Chinese deckhand waiting in Penghu County to be repatriated attempted to abduct the skipper of a Penghu fishing boat and flee Taiwan on Wednesday, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) sources said yesterday. Lo Guoqing (羅國清), 26, an illegal immigrant, tried to hijack the Chinshengman by pressing a knife against skipper Tsai Wen-hsiu's (蔡文修) back late on Wednesday soon after Tsai put out from Penghu. Lo demanded to be taken to the nearest Chinese fishing port. Immediately after Lo abducted the skipper, another Chinese deckhand, identified as Zhang Decai (張德才), who was working aboard Tsai's boat, made an SOS call while he and Tsai tried to talk Lo out of the escape plan. After a brief struggle, Zhang and Tsai subdued Lo and held him until two CGA ships arrived.

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