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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ SOCIETY

Chinese gets extended stay

The Mainland Affairs Council agreed yesterday to extend the period of stay for a Chinese national who requested political asylum in Taiwan two days ago. During a news conference on Monday, Wu Yalin (吳亞林), who arrived in Taiwan with a group of Chinese tourists on Dec. 27, asked the government to grant him asylum. Wu said he was wanted by Chinese authorities for his alleged role in the distribution of a Falun Gong book titled Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party (九評共產黨). Council officials said the council had granted Wu "a longer period" of stay on special humanitarian considerations. As to his request for political asylum, they said no decision would be made until all government agencies involved in the matter had met.



■ DIPLOMACY

MOFA praises Solomons

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement yesterday to congratulate the Solomon Islands for its peaceful transfer of power, saying that Taiwan would continue to work with the new government under the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit. The statement said relations between Taipei and Honiara were expected to remain steady as Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua has been friendly toward Taiwan, while his deputy, Fred Fono, and his foreign affairs and trade minister, William Haomae, have been on good terms with Taipei. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) telephoned Sikua on Thursday to congratulate him on his victory. The ministry said Taiwan would cooperate with Australia and New Zealand to support political and economic development and social stability in the Solomon Islands.



■ ENVIRONMENT

Tainan tackles idling cars

Tainan City became the nation's first city on Tuesday to ban idling vehicles, threatening fines of as much as NT$2,000 for drivers leaving their engine running for more than three minutes when their vehicle is not in use. The anti-idling policy includes fines of NT$500 for motorcycles, NT$1,000 for small automobiles and NT$2,000 for large automobiles. Drivers who try to evade, interfere with or refuse inspections will face a fine ranging from NT$500 to NT$2,000. Inspectors said that Tainan residents were mostly aware of the policy, but drivers from other cities and counties visiting the city seemed unaware that they had to shut down their engine when making a stop lasting more than three minutes.



■ ENVIRONMENT

COA wants more trees

The Council of Agriculture said yesterday that it would promote a tree-planting campaign to help increase the ratio of green land. Council Chairman Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) made the announcement at a year-end news conference and expressed the hope that each person in the country would plant at least one tree during his or her lifetime. Su said that if 10 million people answered the call within five years, the amount of green land could increase by 20,000 hectares, bringing the green land coverage ratio up 0.5 percent to reach 59.09 percent. The tree-planting campaign was seen as a symbol of people's commitment to the earth and the development of a relationship with the land, he said. Su said the council would coordinate with the National Property Administration and Taiwan Sugar Co, as well as with local governments, for land contributions for the project.



■ SOCIETY

Party organizer questioned

A police officer confirmed yesterday that the organizer of a New Year's Eve party at which male dancers in police uniform stripped on stage had been summoned for questioning over the incident. The officer, from the Xinyi precinct of the Taipei Police Department, said civilians who don police uniforms in public might be committing the crime of wearing official ranks and emblems, which is punishable with a fine of up to NT$500, according to the Criminal Code (刑法). The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said his office has asked Jason Tang (唐志中), organizer of the party, to report to the branch for questioning. Videotapes allegedly taken at the party show six male dancers wearing police uniforms dancing with scantily clad female dancers and removing their clothes down to a G-string.



■ SOCIETY

Lotto winner gives NT$26m

A lottery jackpot winner in Taichung City has become the biggest donor in the country's lottery history after donating NT$26 million (US$801,500) to two charitable organizations. Taiwan Lottery Co, a subsidiary of Chinatrust Financial Holding Co, said the anonymous winner, a 23-year-old office worker, bought 10 sets of numbers on Dec. 18 from a lottery store in Taichung and hit a jackpot of NT$320 million. The lucky man asked Taiwan Lottery president Joy Huang (黃瓊儀) to donate NT$25 million to the "Light Up the Fire of Life" fundraising campaign and NT$1 million to the Children Charity Association on his behalf. He also asked Huang to give NT$60,000 to the owner of the lottery stand that sold him the winning ticket.
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