The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) launched English and Japanese-language Web sites yesterday to promote its policies and presidential campaign platform to the international community.
The two new Web sites, established by the KMT's National Policy Foundation think tank at a cost of NT$3 million (US$90,000), will serve as a medium for distributing party news to embassies, foreign governments, think tanks, the media and academics.
"Creating the [foreign-language] Web sites was a pioneering effort for the KMT, but it was necessary, especially as the world is paying more attention to Taiwan," KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (
In addition to promoting the KMT's policies, Wu said he expected the Web sites to become an "authoritative source of news" and vowed to support the sites despite the party's limited budget.
Stephen Chen (陳錫蕃), a think tank member and former representative to the US, said there were 258 English articles about party policies, general news, survey results and editorial pieces on the English Web site, and 80 articles on the Japanese site.
"The establishment of the Web sites will help to counter the biased reports of pro-green English [language] newspapers, promote the party and create an international election Web site for our presidential candidate," Chen said.
The sites will offer immediate translation of important events, including the party's major policies and KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (
It will also provide recent poll results, news analysis from the KMT think tank and selected party news every day, Chen said.
Arguing that English-language newspapers in Taiwan tend to carry negative reports about the KMT and that many foreign correspondents favor the Democratic Progressive Party, Chen said the KMT would take a more aggressive approach to promote itself internationally through the sites.
While expressing support for the party's effort to strengthen its image, KMT Central Standing Committee member Lien Sheng-wen (
KMT Deputy Chairman and Legislator Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) came up with the idea of launching the foreign-language Web sites after visiting Japan last year and being disturbed by the fact that Japanese officials were all reading English-language Taiwanese papers that he felt were biased against the KMT, a party press release said.
The English and Japanese sites can be found on www.kuomintangnews.org, www.taipeinews.org and www.kmtnews.net.
However, the opening page on all three entry sites has the KMT's name misspelled as "Koumintang."
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed “shock and regret” over a statement issued by his wife without his consent, and rejected her assertion that his eldest sister, Ma Yi-nan (馬以南), would manage his medical care or act as his spokesperson amid an ongoing embezzlement probe into his foundation. Ma Ying-jeou in a statement said he was shocked by a statement by his wife, Chou Mei-ching (周美青), regarding his affairs. Ma Yi-nan “must not” be in charge of his healthcare and other personal affairs, nor can she be allowed to represent the Ma family, the former president said. He said he was also