OPINION
Tsai rejects opinion piece
The office of former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday disputed an opinion piece by presidential confidant Chen Chang-ven (陳長文), published by the Chinese-language China Times, saying that Chen “did not get the facts right” in his comparison of Tsai and incoming Mainland Affairs Council minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦). In the opinion piece, Chen defended President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) appointment of Wang, 43, as the top China policy-maker and said that criticism which claimed Wang was too young for the job and was appointed simply by virtue of his relationship with Ma was dumbfounded and irrational. Citing Tsai as an example, Chen said that the inexperienced Tsai was 44 years old when she was appointed MAC chairperson in 2000 and “had accomplished nothing during her tenure.” Most criticism against Wang came from the pan-blue camp, not the DPP, and was targeted at Wang’s expertise, not his age,” Tsai’s spokesperson Hung Yao-fu (洪耀福) said in a press release. Tsai had more than a dozen years of experience on international negotiations — a crucial skill for a China policymaker — under her belt when she was named MAC chair in 2000, which set her aside from Wang, Hung said.
SOCIETY
Award winner writes poem
Nepalese writer Jhamak Ghimire, who was born with cerebral palsy and writes and paints with her feet, wrote a poem on Sunday to express her love for Taiwan before she departed for home. “I feel Taiwan’s love with an open heart,” Ghimire wrote before boarding for her plane at Taoyuan International Airport. She also wrote that although she has “an unknown journey that lies ahead,” she will face it with the love she has received. Ghimire was in Taiwan to receive the Fervent Global Love of Life Medal that honored her perseverance in her battle against the disease. The award was issued by the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation. She also received medical check-ups at Landseed Hospital in Taoyuan during her stay in Taiwan. Ghimire took 10 boxes of second-hand jackets with her that will be distributed to underprivileged children in Nepal on behalf of foundation founder Chou Chin-hua (周進華).
TRAVEL
Hong Kong attracts tourists
More than 27,000 Taiwanese submitted online pre-arrival registration details to visit Hong Kong in the first two weeks since the online service became available earlier this month, according to the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong government. In order to attract more Taiwanese tourists, the Hong Kong Tourism Bureau has cooperated with air carriers and travel agencies in formulating a program to allow Taiwanese to visit Hong Kong as independent travelers with competitive prices. It was reported on Sunday that Hong Kong Financial Secretary John Tsang (曾俊華) could explore the possibility of reciprocal tax immunity for sea carriers with Taiwan during his visit to Taipei on Monday. John Leung (梁志仁), director of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei said Tsang would visit Taipei in his capacity as the honorary chairperson of the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council to attend a conference of the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council today. Leung said Hong Kong is more than willing to negotiate with Taiwan on a free trade agreement but this issue is not on Tsang’s agenda of talks with Taiwan.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it