Officials from both sides of the Strait will not go into specifics, such as claims for compensation from Chinese companies that have exported products spiked with melamine, during tomorrow’s meeting between China’s Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS ) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) and Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), a top Department of Health official said yesterday.
The official, who declined to be identified, told the Taipei Times in a telephone interview that although Taiwanese officials would not discuss compensation, “when we meet face-to-face with them [Chinese officials], we will make sure the two sides maintain a good dialogue.”
When the news broke in early September that creamer imported from China’s Duqing Co contained melamine, the Department of Health said it would assist companies that have suffered losses because of the melamine scandal and request compensation from China.
However, as of yesterday, Duqing had yet to provide any explanation or details about test results on samples taken from Taiwan back to China.
“[Duqing] is still investigating the source [of the contamination] … But we know that they have discovered problems with their own products,” the official said, attributing Duqing’s lack of a response to the amount of time needed to conduct a thorough investigation.
The list of Chinese companies that exported melamine-spiked products to Taiwan has been growing since the start of the scandal, which started with Chinese-based Sanlu Group’s batches of tainted milk powder.
Since then, the list of Chinese companies that have exported contaminated products to Taiwan has grown to include Xinji Huaer Chemical Co, Yaolong, Jilin Jinyi Egg Products Co Ltd and Dalian Green Snow Egg Product Co Ltd.
The official said that the lifting of the ban on China’s imports of milk powder, creamer, ammonium bicarbonate and protein powder “will not come quickly.”
China’s health department must show improvements in regulating food safety and provide reports on what measures would be taken to stop future cases occurring, the official said.
Starbucks Taiwan’s decision to charge for drink customization, which had been free, has sparked consumer backlash, highlighting the challenge of raising prices without making customers feel they are losing value, experts said. Since Oct. 12, customers who order drinks with less or no ice and ask to have the volume topped up with milk or other liquid have been charged an additional NT$15. Topping off drinks without ice was previously free, and disgruntled customers posted photos on social media showing that iced drinks ordered without ice were only half full if the extra NT$15 was not paid. The posts drew tens of thousands
EXPLANATION: Tsai said he attended events featuring various interviewees to observe them firsthand as part of his interview research Television host Kevin Tsai (蔡康永) last night broke his silence over a controversy surrounding his appearance at a campaign event for Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋), saying he had never supported Taiwan independence. “I have always hoped for friendly cross-strait relations. I have never supported Taiwan independence,” Tsai wrote in a post on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo. Tsai, who has hosted television shows in China, attended the opening of Shen’s campaign headquarters on Oct. 4, drawing criticism from Chinese social media users and prompting some Chinese companies to distance themselves from him. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
Major department stores across Taiwan, including Taipei 101, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Far Eastern SOGO, Breeze and Honhui Plaza, are closed today due to Typhoon Champi, while major supermarkets remain open. Taipei 101 said its shopping mall, observatory and restaurants on higher floors are closed for the day, with future hours to be adjusted based on the storm's status. Shin Kong Mitsukoshi has closed all 16 of its branches nationwide, as well as its Taipei Railway Station mall and SKM Park Outlets in Kaohsiung. Far Eastern SOGO said it has closed all of its branches nationwide, including Garden City in Taipei, citing the safety
DOUBLE-CHECK: Mandarin Airlines said that it would adjust its schedule according to weather conditions, while high-speed rail services are to remain undisrupted Airlines, ferry services, railways and national parks announced cancelations and closures yesterday, as Typhoon Champi bore down on Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued land warnings for most of Taiwan proper, as Champi is forecast to come closest to the nation today. Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) has canceled all express trains on its western and eastern trunk lines today, while the high-speed rail system would continue to operate normally. For non-reserved TRC services, trains on the Coast Line, Chengzhui Line, Yilan Line and North Link Line are fully suspended. Services between Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as other unsuspended routes, would operate
RSS