WEATHER
Depression to bring rain
A tropical depression that formed in the South China Sea on Monday could bring rain over the next two days, although no direct impact is expected, the Central Weather Bureau said yesterday. The depression about 500km southwest of Taiwan’s southernmost tip is moving west-northwest at 11kph, and is carrying sustained winds of 54kph with gusts of up to 82kph, the bureau said. The depression is to strengthen a front from the southwest, bringing showers and thunderstorms to southern and southeastern Taiwan until tomorrow, while eastern and northeastern Taiwan could see intermittent rain and thunderstorms, the bureau said. Northern Taiwan could also experience heavy rain this afternoon.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Concern over extraditions
The nation has expressed its concern to the EU after the Prague High Court upheld a lower court’s decision to send eight Taiwanese fraud suspects to China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The suspects were arrested in Prague in Jan. 12 last year for their alleged involvement in telecommunications fraud targeting Chinese, ministry deputy spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安) said. A Prague district court in August last year ruled that the suspects were to be extradited to China, after Chinese authorities guaranteed that the suspects would be tried fairly and would not be subject to capital punishment. The suspects appealed to the Prague High Court, which last month upheld the decision, Ou said. The suspects are considering other legal remedies and proceedings are still ongoing, she added. The ministry has also expressed its concerns to the EU that the suspects’ rights might be infringed upon if they are sent to China.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
US transit stop ‘consistent’
Arranging transit stop visits by “Taiwan authorities” is consistent with Washington’s “one China” policy, the US Department of State said on Monday. In response to requests for comment on President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) plan to transit through the US later this month, a department spokesperson said via e-mail: “The United States facilitates, from time to time, representatives of the Taiwan authorities to transit the United States. Such transits are undertaken out of consideration for the safety, comfort, convenience and dignity of the passenger and are in keeping with our one China policy.” Tsai is to make the stopovers before and after visiting Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, and Saint Kitts and Nevis from Thursday next week to July 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. It did not disclose the US cities, but some media have reported that she would stop in New York and Denver.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Corruption pact signed
Taiwan and Belize yesterday signed an agreement to cooperate on fighting corruption as they push for a closer partnership ahead of the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in October. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Belizean Governor-General Colville Young witnessed the signing at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei. The two nations have collaborated on medical care, vocational training, trade and investment, and would continue to work together on sustainable development to address the challenges brought by climate change, Tsai said. Young said that the friendship would not just last 30 years, but for an eternity because the two nations are as close as family. Young and his delegation arrived yesterday for a four-day visit.
DEFENSE
Shen Yi-ming takes top job
Vice Minister of National Defense Shen Yi-ming (沈一鳴) on Monday took office as chief of the general staff in a ceremony presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), replacing Li Hsi-ming (李喜明), who retired the same day. A graduate of the Republic of China Air Force Academy in 1979 and the US’ Air War College in 2002, Shen has served 37 months as air force commander, promoting joint operations training and disaster prevention and rescue, the Ministry of National Defense said. Air Force Commander Chang Che-ping (張哲平) is to fill the vacancy left by Shen, while Air Force Deputy Commander General Hsiung Hou-chi (熊厚基) is to fill the vacancy left by Chang, with immediate effect, the ministry said. As commander-in-chief of Taiwan’s armed forces, Tsai said that she has ordered Shen to help carry out a blueprint for defense and warfare training, nurture military talent, and lay the foundation for the reform of the nation’s defense forces. Shen was also ordered by Tsai to promote regional peace, security and stability.
PHILANTHROPY
Taipei donates to initiative
The government has donated US$500,000 to a non-governmental organization that advocates for victims of sexual violence and aims to rebuild communities devastated by the Islamic State group. In a ceremony at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on Friday last week, Representative to the US Stanley Kao (高碩泰) made the donation to Nadia’s Initiative. The group, founded in 2016 by Nadia Murad, advocates for victims of sexual violence and aims to rebuild communities in crisis, especially the Yazidi ethnic minority in Iraq persecuted by the Islamic State. Murad last year received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on the initiative.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
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