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Taiwan Quick Take

■ IMMIGRATION
Ministry not adopting quota
A Ministry of the Interior "white paper" outlining key demographic and immigration policies next year will not call for yearly quotas on immigrants from China despite a task force's recommendation to implement such quotas, the ministry said yesterday. A task force composed of National Chengchi University academics and commissioned by the Cabinet last year to research solutions to problems posed by the nation's aging population and influx of immigrants suggested setting quotas last month. Specifically, the academics called for a reduction in the quota for Chinese immigrant spouses seeking "permanent residency" from 6,000 to 4,700 annually. They also recommended that the number of Chinese immigrant spouses given "long-term residency" be limited to 7,000 annually. The task force cited a high divorce rate between local men and Chinese brides here and Chinese immigrant spouses' alleged inability to identify with local culture. However, the ministry has decided to scrap the quota proposal after soliciting opinions from the public, a ministry press release stated. The white paper is to be released at the end of the year, it added.

■ CRIME
Illegal immigrant escapes
An illegal immigrant awaiting deportation to China in an Ilan County detention center escaped yesterday, immigration authorities said. The detainee, a woman, simply walked out the front door after asking to use the bathroom, center officials said. They added that law-enforcement authorities were still searching for the woman.

■ DEFENSE
PRC subs confirmed
The Ministry of National Defense confirmed yesterday that China has developed second-generation 094-type strategic nuclear-powered submarines each capable of carrying 16 long-range "Great Wave-2" ballistic missiles. The 094 model is equivalent to the US' Ohio-class in terms of mobility, flexibility, defenses and combat capabilities, a report on the ministry's Web site said yesterday. The ministry said the low-noise 094 nuclear submarine is similar in size and appearance to the 092 Summer-class submarine developed by China in the early 1980s, but each of the missiles on the new model can contain three nuclear warheads and the submarine can fire ballistic missiles at targets more than 8,000km away. The ministry also quoted a Washington Times report from last December as indicating that since 2002, China has been buying or developing scores of new submarines, including 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and Song-class conventional submarines. Military observers said that China's latest addition to its nuclear submarine fleet jeopardized global security.

■ CRIME
Taichung honors civilians
Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) presented citations and cash awards to 16 city residents yesterday for helping police fight crime. Hu handed the 16 residents cash awards ranging from NT$6,000 to NT$20,000. He said he was glad to see two women among the recipients for the first time since the award program was initiated three years ago. The two women were Chen Hsiang-lan (陳香蘭), of Hua Nan Commercial Bank, and Tsai Shu-feng (蔡淑芬), of Taichung Commercial Bank. They received NT$7,000 each in recognition of their vigilance in helping to crack fraud rings. The mayor said that thanks to the award program, public security in Taichung had improved.

■ HEALTH
Cancer top risk for Kinmen
Cancer remained the most common cause of death on Kinmen last year, statistics from the Kinmen County Health Bureau showed. The statistics showed that 443 Kinmen residents died last year, representing an increase of 39 deaths from 2005. The total comprised 257 men and 186 women. Cancer accounted for 36.6 percent of the 10 leading causes of death, followed by 9.3 percent for heart disease and nearly 9.3 percent for cerebrovascular disease. The fourth to 10th causes of death were diabetes, accidents, pneumonia, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, kidney disease, hypertension and suicide. A total of 162 people died of cancer last year -- up 30 from 2005. According to the statistics, Kinmen recorded a cancer death rate of 220.8 deaths per 100,000 population last year, much higher than the 166.5 per 100,000 for Taiwan proper.

■ TRANSPORTATION
Local airport may see profit
Chingchuangkang Airport in Taichung County may soon turn a profit thanks to its international charter flight service, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said. On Wednesday, officials said Chingchuangkang Airport was likely to become the fourth airport after Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Songshan Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport to earn a profit. While domestic flight routes have been hit hard by the launch of the high-speed rail in January this year, international charter flights departing from Chingchuangkang Airport have been in strong demand. There are seven outbound charter flights from the airport each day, with four allocated to carriers with overseas destinations.


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