WEATHER
Mercury dips nationwide
A strong cold air mass coming in from China sent the mercury plunging to about 10oC in the north of the country late yesterday. Temperatures nationwide are likely to drop this weekend, but the cold spell will affect mainly areas north of Chiayi County, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday. In New Taipei City’s (新北市) Tamsui District (淡水), the temperature had fallen to 11.7oC yesterday morning, the bureau reported. With seasonal winds strengthening, heavy rains are also expected in northeastern regions of the country, the bureau added. The cold spell could last until Monday, after which temperatures are likely to rise again, it said.
ECONOMY
Sean Chen plans sleepover
Premier Sean Chen (陳冲) said yesterday he plans to stay over night with factory owners this weekend, as part of efforts to understand more about the challenges and difficulties faced by local businesses. Describing small and medium-sized businesses as the backbone of the nation’s economy, Chen said entrepreneurs’ voices need to be heard, so spending a night with them will facilitate bilateral communication. Listing industries related to environmental protection as his priority, he said he intended to use more weekends to call on companies and institutions nationwide. Chen’s tour is in line with President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) policy of encouraging his ministers to travel to the countryside and interact with people in different regions. Sincerity is important in such an undertaking, Chen said, adding that he did not want to disrupt the day-to-day lives of the people he visits. “I am willing to bring bedding with me, so the host family doesn’t have to buy any for me,” he said.
POLITICS
Prosecutors file lawsuits
Greater Kaohsiung prosecutors yesterday filed two separate lawsuits to revoke the election of two Aboriginal Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators after it was alleged a family member and campaign aides were involved in vote-buying. The wife of KMT Legislator Chien Tung-ming (簡東明) was released on bail of NT$200,000 (US$6,700) by prosecutors. They also seized NT$4.2 million in cash that was suspected of being used to buy votes. According to prosecutors, Chien denied the money was for vote buying. Meanwhile, a KMT local branch official in Taoyuan District (桃源), Greater Kaohsiung, was detained by Greater Kaohsiung judges on suspicion of conducting vote-buying for KMT Legislator Kung Wen-chi (孔文吉). Several of Kung’s campaign officials were also under investigation for alleged vote buying, prosecutors said, adding that they suspected Kung was behind the act.
TOURISM
Woman dies in bus crash
A tour bus rolled in eastern Taiwan yesterday, killing one Chinese national and injuring 33 others, according to the Hualien County Fire Department. The tour bus carrying a total of 34 people — 32 tourists from Beijing, a local tour guide and the bus driver — hit the hillside because of poor weather conditions and rolled at about 6:20pm. The Chinese woman died of cardiac arrest, according to officials from the department, adding that nine passengers were seriously injured, while the rest suffered minor injuries. The 45-year-old bus driver suffered minor injuries, the officials added. The tour bus was heading north when the accident took place at the 43km mark of Provincial Highway No. 11, which connects Hualien County and Taitung County.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai