■POLITICS
APEC envoy to be revealed
The Presidential Office said yesterday it would announce the name of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) envoy to the 2009 APEC summit once host country Singapore has been informed of the selection. Sources close to the president said former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰) will be chosen as Ma’s special envoy to the summit, which is scheduled for Nov. 12 to Nov. 14. In keeping with past practice, the Presidential Office will announce the name only after notifying the host country via a special envoy, Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said. In August, Singapore sent a special envoy to Taipei to deliver Ma’s invitation to the summit. The Singaporean envoy is expected to return to Taiwan soon to be told who will represent Taiwan. “This procedure shows respect for the host country,” Wang said.
■EARTHQUAKES
Temblor strikes off Yilan
An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck in the east at 5:05am yesterday, but no immediate damage was reported. The Central Weather Bureau said the epicenter of the earthquake was located 1.8km northeast of Nanao (南澳), Yilan County at a depth of 43.8km. The temblor, with an intensity of 3.0 in Yilan and Hualien counties, was followed by a 4.8 quake at 9:16pm whose effect was felt only in Yilan and Hualien counties, the bureau said.
■ECONOMY
Council, Kansas sign deal
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) yesterday signed a bilateral agreement with the Kansas Department of Commerce to boost trade between both sides. The signing was held at the Taipei Guest House and was witnessed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang (楊進添) and Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson, who will also attend the Taiwan International Green Industry Show. This year marks the 20th year since Kansas and Taiwan became “sister states” in 1989, the MOFA said in a press release. Yang thanked Kansas for the state’s long-standing support for Taiwan’s bid to sign a free-trade agreement with the US and its participation in various UN agencies. Parkinson said the agreement was not geared toward a specific industry but was a comprehensive agreement that he hoped would benefit both sides.
■CULTURE
Museum may change hands
The government is considering a transfer of responsibility over the National Palace Museum from the Executive Yuan to the Presidential Office, Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said yesterday. Wang said Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) broached the issue at yesterday’s weekly luncheon with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and KMT Secretary-General Chan Chun-po (詹春柏) at the Presidential Office. Wang said Wu said that while some felt the National Palace Museum should be supervised by the Presidential Office, others proposed making it an incorporated administrative agency. Wang said all participants at the meeting agreed that there was room for discussion regarding whether the head of the National Palace Museum should attend the weekly Cabinet meeting. Wang said they welcomed the input of art and culture circles and would not make a decision until a consensus had been reached.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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