RESEARCH
Institute developing AUV
The nation will start development of its first indigenous autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), project officials said yesterday. The nation has the technology to develop its own AUV, which should be ready for the first round of testing in two years, Taiwan Oceanic Research Institute director Wang Chao-chang (王兆璋) said, adding that he hopes the project would be completed within five years with the allocation of adequate funds and personnel. The AUV would help boost oceanic research, military investigations and international disaster relief efforts, former deputy minister of national defense Admiral Chen Yung-kang (陳永康) said. The AUV development team comprises personnel from National Sun Yat-sen University, the Chung Cheng Institute of Technology at National Defense University, Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group, CSBC Corp and the institute.
WEATHER
Heavy rains forecast
The nation is likely to experience heavy rains today due to the peripheral effects of Tropical Storm Mawar, the Central Weather Bureau said, warning of strong winds in western and southeastern Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula, and the coastal areas of the islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu. The storm is unlikely to hit the nation directly, but its outer bands would bring rain, bureau forecaster Yen Tseng-hsi (顏增璽) said. The rain is expected to continue into tomorrow in the nation’s east and southeast, while other parts of the nation can expect occasional showers, he said.
DIPLOMACY
Tsai lauds Royce for support
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday presented US Representative Ed Royce with a special medal in recognition of his long-term support for Taiwan. Royce received the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon, which is presented to individuals who make a major contribution to the nation. As one of Taiwan’s most loyal and important friends, Royce fully deserves the medal, Tsai said. As chairman of the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs, Royce has promoted legislation friendly to Taiwan, including a resolution reaffirming the “six assurances” and the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations. He was also involved in drafting laws authorizing the sale of Perry-class guided missile frigates to Taiwan and backing the nation’s participation in the World Health Assembly, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Criminal Police Organization, Tsai said.
EMPLOYMENT
Number of furloughs rises
A total of 417 workers were on furlough at the end of last month, an increase of 66 from two weeks earlier, data released by the Ministry of Labor showed yesterday. As of Thursday, 16 employers were implementing unpaid leave programs with the agreement of their employees, an increase of four from Aug. 15, the data showed. A relatively larger number of furloughed workers were in the metal, mechanical and electrical industries, the data showed. The ministry said that most of the companies with employees on unpaid leave were small enterprises with fewer than 50 workers. All 16 employers that implemented furloughs did so after the employees agreed to take up to four days a month in unpaid leave for no more than three months, the ministry said.
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
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
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