The AIT Kaohsiung Branch Office covers the Kaohsiung, Chiayi, Tainan, Pingtung, Taitung and Penghu areas in southern Taiwan. This area, roughly one third of the island, has a population of over six million people, including approximately 5,000 American citizens.
US-affiliated organizations in the district include the Kaohsiung American Chamber of Commerce, the Kaohsiung American School, the Morrison Academy and the Sun Yat-sen America Center at National Sun Yat-sen University.
The objectives of the AIT Kaohsiung Branch Office (AIT/K) are to maintain and enhance commercial, economic, political and cultural contacts in southern Taiwan; to promote US products and services in Taiwan's industrial heartland; to provide AIT Taipei and Washington with insights into political and economic trends and attitudes in southern Taiwan, especially as these differ from those in Taipei; and to assist US citizens residing in southern Taiwan. US citizens are encouraged to register at the office, which maintains a warden system to communicate with the community in the event of an emergency. For details call tel. (07) 238-7744.
To celebrate US Independence Day 2002, AIT/K is supporting the Kaohsiung Amcham in organizing the traditional community carnival to be held at Kaohsiung Labor Park on July 7, from 2:00-7:30 pm. The celebration is open to the public and will feature musical and cultural entertainment, games, a raffle drawing and American-style food and drink, with a star-spangled fireworks exhibition to conclude the festivities. For information call (07) 566-8856.
Meanwhile, an "American Week" consumer products show is underway at the Mitsukoshi Department Store on Chungshan Rd in Tainan from July 3-17. Over 50 US suppliers of name brand consumer products are expected to participate in the show.
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
RULES BROKEN: The MAC warned Chinese not to say anything that would be harmful to the autonomous status of Taiwan or undermine its sovereignty A Chinese couple accused of disrupting a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents has been deported, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement yesterday afternoon. A Chinese man, surnamed Yao (姚), and his wife were escorted by immigration officials to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where they boarded a flight to China before noon yesterday, the agency said. The agency said that it had annulled the couple’s entry permits, citing alleged contraventions of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法). The couple applied to visit a family member in
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