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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ POLITICS
Cheng Wen-lung resigns
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday approved the resignation of deputy Kaohsiung mayor Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文隆). Chen told a council administrative meeting yesterday morning that Cheng had resigned to pursue new goals. Chen said that Cheng, who served as deputy mayor since 2005, had hinted at leaving when she assumed office in December, but that at the mayor's request had stayed on to help her handle major public construction projects. "Deputy mayor Cheng wants to pursue his own goals and enrich his life. I cannot stop him," Chen said. Meanwhile, Tsay Wu-der (蔡武德), a professor at National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, assumed the position of director of Kaohsiung City's Economic Affairs Bureau following Jason Hung's (洪富峰) resignation. Hung told reporters on Thursday he had resigned to campaign for Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).

■ ARTS
Sculptors invited to festival
The Hualien County government will invite 12 international stone carving artists to this year's Hualien Stone Sculpture Festival to produce scupltures on-site before the public opening on Oct. 1. Officials with the Cultural Bureau said the international artists were the finalists of a preliminary competition and would each receive an allowance of NT$240,000 to cover their living expenses and tools during a 30-day stay in Hualien County. The 12 finalists include three artists from Taiwan and two each from Japan and Germany. The other five artists are from France, Belgium, Italy, Austria and China. The biennial event, to be held this year for the sixth time, is sponsored by the county government and the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The finished works will be the property of the Cultural Bureau and will be displayed in a stone sculpture museum in Hualien County.

■ CULTURE
Mid-Autumn festivities
To celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, the Taipei City Government has invited the public to enjoy free concerts and a barbecue at the Dajia Riverside Park (大佳河濱公園) next week. The concerts will take place between 7pm and 10pm on Monday and Tuesday, with the city government providing 400 free sets of barbecue grills and charcoal on the second night. The city's Department of Civil Affairs encouraged those interested in the free barbecue sets to register on the department's Web site at www.ca.taipei.gov.tw from 9:30am this morning. People who miss out on the free barbecue sets are welcome to bring their own and enjoy the music.

■ EDUCATION
High-tech course offered
National Taipei University of Technology is offering courses in electronic engineering and computer science to Gambian students to help improve the West African ally's high-tech sector, a university spokesman said yesterday. The four-year program will be attended by 25 senior-high graduates selected by the Gambian government. Upon completion of their studies, the students will be awarded B.E. degrees, the spokesman said, adding that the students would then be in a good position to make valuable contributions to their country's high-tech industry. The program will help create an "African Silicon Valley" in Gambia, the spokesman said, adding that the program would also boost Taiwan-Gambia relations.

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