Visa-free entry for transit travelers from five countries
Taiwan will grant visa-free entry for qualified transit travelers from five Asian countries — India, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia — beginning on Jan. 20 as part of its effort to attract upscale tourists. A Tourism Bureau official said citizens of the five Asian countries who possess US green cards or Canadian maple cards have been allowed to enter the country without a visa since Dec. 1. At the suggestion of the Tourism Bureau, the official said, the Executive Yuan has agreed to simplify travel to Taiwan for more citizens from the five countries, granting them visa-free entry if they have visas or plane tickets to the US, Canada, Japan, any of the EU countries, Australia or New Zealand.
Community Services Center closed for the holidays
The Community Services Center closed yesterday for the holidays and will reopen on Jan. 5. The Center’s crisis counseling service can still be reached at 0932-594-578. The Center has released its Spring/Summer Activities catalog, which can be viewed online at www.community.com.tw. People interested in signing up for classes are advised to book early, as space is limited.
Democrats Abroad Taiwan announces meeting
Democrats Abroad Taiwan invites all US citizens over the age of 18 to join an organizational meeting for next year on Saturday, Jan. 17, at Famous Larry’s Pizza in Taipei. Participants must register at www.democratsabroad.org. At the meeting, board members will be elected and formal steps taken to update the country committee to a full committee. Candidates are needed for the director and supervisor positions, the organization said. The chair and the vice chair positions must be of the opposite gender under Democratic Party rules. Those who are interested in running for the positions must inform the committee beforehand to ensure there is enough time to prepare the ballots. For more information, contact the organization at democratsabroadtaiwan@gmail.com.
Toy drive organized for orphans
The Australia and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with The Brass Monkey and the Taipei Baboons, are sponsoring a toy drive for the Harmony Home Association Taiwan, an orphanage for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Donors are welcomed to drop off toys or children’s clothing at 166 Fuxing N Rd in Taipei. For more information, call The Brass Monkey at 02-2547-5050 or check the Australia and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.anzcham.org.tw.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face
A fugitive in a suspected cosmetic surgery fraud case today returned to Taiwan from Canada, after being wanted for six years. Internet celebrity Su Chen-tuan (蘇陳端), known as Lady Nai Nai (貴婦奈奈), and her former boyfriend, plastic surgeon Paul Huang (黃博健), allegedly defrauded clients and friends of about NT$1 billion (US$30.66 million). Su was put on a wanted list in 2019 when she lived in Toronto, Canada, after failing to respond to subpoenas and arrest warrants from the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. Su arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 5am today on an EVA Air flight accompanied by a
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