■ SOCIETY
KRTC increases security
The Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) yesterday vowed to enhance its security measures after a drug addict passed out after using drugs in a KRTC restroom. In a press release, the company said it regretted the incident and that it would take remedial action to ensure that such things did not happen again. KRTC police have promised to increase the frequency of security patrols to prevent the KRTC’s restrooms from being used by drug addicts, the company said. Yang Feng-jung (楊豐榮), a KRTC official, told reporters that KRTC cleaning crews found an unconscious man inside a restroom with needles and drugs next to him two days ago. The man was taken to a police station for questioning after being woken up, Yang said.
■ TEMBLORS
Moderate earthquake hits
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit off the coast of Taiwan yesterday, the Seismology Center said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The quake struck at 12:57pm, about 75km east of Chengkung (成功), a coastal township in Taitung County. The epicenter was 10km under the seabed.
■ HEALTH
Chinese tiles no health risk
The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) said on Saturday it conducts random checks on tiles sold locally and that there is no need for the public to worry about health risks. The AEC made the remarks one day after domestic tile manufacturers went to the legislature to bring attention to claims that the government has been allowing substandard Chinese tiles to enter Taiwan. The Taiwan Ceramic Industries Association estimates Taiwan’s tile market is worth about NT$25 billion (US$793 billion) a year, with tiles from China now accounting for 40 percent of that figure. Lin Chin-tsai (林進財), secretary-general of the association, said the Chinese tiles are not examined, are uneven and brittle. He also claimed that they could have high levels of radioactivity. AEC test results showed that the Chinese tiles fall within 0.07mSv/h and 0.09mSv/h, which is well within tolerance levels for radioactivity. There is no need for concern, the AEC said. “The council will continue to conduct checks on tiles to ensure public safety,” the AEC said.
■ POLITICS
PRC targets flag in Belgium
The Republic of China (ROC) flag was the target of Chinese malcontent at an international stamp show in Antwerp, Belgium, on Friday. This year’s Antverpia 2010 marks the first time Taiwan was represented at the show. Hanging the ROC flag along with those of the other countries attending the international exhibition reflects the organizer’s respect for such a special guest, officials of the representative office in Belgium said. The move, however, drew strong protest from officials at the Chinese embassy in Belgium. Frank Daniels, project manager of the event, dismissed the protest and told the Chinese officials that they were in Belgium and should show some respect, Taiwanese officials said. The protest by the Chinese officials shows a different face of China that is not good for its international reputation despite a recent warming in relations, the Taiwanese officials said. Antverpia 2010 is an international stamp fair organized by the Royal Belgian Federation of Philatelic Associations to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the founding of the group. The show opened on Friday and is scheduled to end today.
FAST TRACK? Chinese spouses must renounce their Chinese citizenship and pledge allegiance to Taiwan to gain citizenship, some demonstrators said Opponents and supporters of a bill that would allow Chinese spouses to obtain Taiwanese citizenship in four years instead of six staged protests near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday morning. Those who oppose the bill proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) demanded that Chinese spouses be granted citizenship only after renouncing their Chinese citizenship, passing a citizenship test and pledging allegiance to Taiwan. The demonstrators, who were protesting at a side entrance to the Legislative Yuan on Jinan Road, were mostly members of the Taiwan Association of University Professors and other organizations advocating Taiwanese independence. Supporters of the bill, led
SILENT MAJORITY: Only 1 percent of Chinese rejected all options but war to annex Taiwan, while one-third viewed war as unacceptable, a university study showed Many Chinese are more concerned with developments inside their country than with seeking unification with Taiwan, al-Jazeera reported on Friday. Although China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, 23-year-old Chinese Shao Hongtian was quoted by al-Jazeera as saying that “hostilities are not the way to bring China and Taiwan together.” “I want unification to happen peacefully,” Shao said. Al-Jazeera said it changed Shao’s name to respect his wish for anonymity. If peaceful unification is not possible, Shao said he would prefer “things to remain as they are,” adding that many of his friends feel
Taiwan has “absolute air superiority” over China in its own airspace, Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday, amid concern over whether Taipei could defend itself against a military incursion by Beijing. Po made the remarks in response to a question from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) on whether Taiwan would have partial or complete air superiority if Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes were to enter Taiwan’s airspace. Po, a retired pilot, said that the Taiwanese military has “absolute air superiority” over PLA
A shipment of basil pesto imported by Costco Wholesale Taiwan from the US in the middle of last month was intercepted at the border after testing positive for excessive pesticide residue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. Samples taken from a shipment of the Kirkland Signature brand of basil pesto imported by Costco contained 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of ethylene oxide, exceeding the non-detectable limit. Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic substance that can be used as a pesticide. The 674kg shipment of basil pesto would either be destroyed or returned to its country of origin, as is the procedure for all