July 1998
After many years of encouragement from Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), Liberty Times founder Rong San Lin (林榮三) establishes the English newspaper the Taipei Times. He brings in Lee Chang-kuei (李長貴) of the NTU College of
Management, and senior journalist Antonio Chiang (江春男) to commence preparatory work on the newspaper.
Nov. 1, 1998
Antony Lawrence and Laurence Eyton join the preparatory team and begin recruiting overseas editorial talent.
March 1, 1999
Training begins for the first batch of journalists to be brought on by the Taipei Times.
June 15, 1999
The Taipei Times officially begins publication. Japan's Mainichi Shinbun and Kyodo News, France's Le Monde and other international media outlets devote special reports to the establishment of Taiwan's third English newspaper.
July 9, 1999
Lee Teng-hui shocks the world when he declares the “special state-to-state” policy as the basis for cross-strait relations; in the month following, the Taipei Times is extensively quoted in the international
media on this issue.
Aug. 31, 1999
TheTaipei Times Web site goes online and begins to exert international influence.
Sep. 21, 1999
An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hits Taiwan, killing over 2,000 people and injuring over 8,000. The Taipei Times dedicates many pages to reporting on the event.
Dec. 30 1999
Taiwan and Palau establish diplomatic relations.
* Feb. 28, 2000
The Taipei Times wins an Awards of Excellence and World's Best-Designed Newspaper Finalist from the Society for News Design.
Jan. 24, 2000
Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian visits the Taipei Times office.
Mar. 18 2000
Taiwan has its second direct presidential election. Chen Shui-bian is elected in Taiwan's first transition of power between political parties. KMT supporters demonstrate in front of party headquarters and force Lee Teng-hui
to step down as party chairman. The Taipei Times produces an eight-page election special report.
May 20, 2000
Chen Shui-bian's inauguration. Chen makes his“Taiwan stands up”speech, emphasizing the pledge of the “five noes”as the basis of cross-strait relations.
*June 15, 2000
The Taipei Times e-commerce section begins operation.
July 22, 2000
The Pachang Creek flood takes four lives and the government is criticized for incompetence in rescue operations.
Sept. 15, 2000
The Taipei Times produces four full pages of dedicated daily coverage throughout the Sydney Olympics.
Oct. 06, 2000
Antonio Chiang, co-founder and chief editor of the Taipei Times is appointed deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council by President Chen Shui-bian.
Oct. 27, 2000
The Government halts work on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. It is criticized by both the ruling party and the opposition and impeachment of the President and Vice-President is discussed.
Oct. 31, 2000
A Singapore Airlines flight crashes at CKS Airport,killing 82 dead and injuring 49.
Dec. 2000
Over the course of the year, the TAIEX hits a high above 10,000 and, later, a low below 5,000.
Jan. 1, 2001
The “small three links” are introduced. Direct transportation begins between Taiwan's Kinmen and Matsu and China's Fuzhou and Xiamen.
Feb. 14, 2001
Premier Chang Chun-hisung (張俊雄) announces continuation of construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.
* Feb. 28, 2001
The Taipei Times wins the grand prize as World's Best-Designed Newspaper in the 22nd Annual“Best of Newspaper Design”competition held by the Society for News Design (SND).
April 22, 2001
Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) undergoes catheterization surgery in Japan.
* May 27, 2001
Taipei Times' reporter Chiu Yu-tzu (邱育慈) wins the“Outstanding Journalist Award” granted by the National Press Council.
June 9, 2001
The Taipei Times launches a special weekly “Newsmaker”series on prominent figures in Taiwan.
June 18, 2001
Macedonia severs diplomatic relation with Taiwan.
Sept. 11, 2001
Al-Qadr attacks the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The US launches its anti-terrorism campaign. The Taipei Times commences a month-long special report on the aftermath of 911 tragedy.
Sep. 19, 2001
Typhoon Nari hits Taiwan and causes the most disastrous flooding in Taipei in 70 years.
* Oct. 26, 2001
Taipei Times' reporter Monique Chu (朱明琴) wins the“Cross-strait Relation and Mainland News Reporting Prize” awarded by the Mainland Affairs Council.
* Dec. 2001
The Taipei Times' features reporter Ian Bartholomew and translator Ethan Harkness win the Council of Cultural Affair's “First Annual Literary Translation Award.”
Dec. 2001
The Taipei Times features the legislative election in a series of special issues. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gains 87 seats and becomes the biggest party in the Legislative Yuan though it falls short of an absolute majority.
Dec. 2001
Taiwan has suffered through a year of negative economic growth. The unemployment rate soars to a record-breaking high of 5 percent.
Jan. 1, 2002
Taiwan joins the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the name of “Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu” as the group's 144th member.
* Feb. 28, 2002
The Taipei Times wins two Awards of Excellence in the Best of Newspaper Design competition held by the Society for News Design (SND).
May 25, 2002
China Airlines flight CI-611 crashes into the sea near Penghu en route to Hong Kong. All 225 people on board are killed.
* June 2, 2002
Taipei Times Staff Reporter Monique Chu (朱明琴) is honored with the National Press Council Foundation's (新聞媒體自律協會) Outstanding Journalist Award.
June 17, 2002
The Taipei Times celebrates its 3rd anniversary, presenting its readers with a new layout — including a bilingual section entitled“Youth Central” which targets young readers.
Aug. 2002
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) attracts much international attention by claiming that there is“one country on each side” of the Taiwan Strait.
Aug. 26, 2002
Taipei Times Staff Reporter Chiu Yu-tzu (邱育慈) attends the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg and reports from inside the conference, despite China's effort to ban Taiwan journalists.
* Aug. 30, 2002
Taipei Times Editor-in-Chief Rick Chu (朱立熙) wins the 2002 Brighter Society Journalism Award (社會光明面新聞報導獎) for his special report about a patient who suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Sept. 11, 2002
The Taipei Times publishes an exclusive interview with Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).
Dec. 7, 2002
The Taipei Times runs a special edition on the city and county commissioner elections, as well as the mayoral elections in Taipei and Kaohsiung.
* Feb. 28, 2003
The Taipei Times wins four Awards of Excellence in the Best of Newspaper Design competition held by the Society for News Design (SND).
March—May, 2003
The Taipei Times runs a series of special reports on the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which kills more than 30 people in Taiwan.
July 1, 2003
The Taipei Times' bilingual section launches its Junior Times English-teaching page to help younger readers learn English.
Oct. 12, 2003
Only two days after its National Day, Taiwan terminates diplomatic ties with Liberia after the war-torn African country decides to switch diplomatic recognition to China.
Oct. 16, 2003
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) vows to create a new constitution by 2006, and to implement it by 2008.
Oct. 24, 2003
Soong Mayling (宋美齡), also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, dies in her sleep aged 105 in her New York home.
Dec. 12, 2003
The Taipei Times publishes an exclusive interview with Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).
* Dec. 2003
Taipei Times features reporter Ian Bartholomew wins an“Outstanding Work Award" in the Second Annual Literary Translation Award.
Dec. 16, 2003
The 25th anniversary of the US switching recognition from Taiwan to China.
Feb. 07, 2004
The Taipei Times and the National Geographic Channel jointly launch an essay contest to celebrate the Mars landing.
* Feb. 28, 2004
For the fifth consecutive year since its launch in 1999, the Taipei Times wins the Awards of Excellence in the Best of Newspaper Design competition held by the Society for News Design (SND).
* March 10, 2004
The Taipei Times publishes an exclusive interview with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
March 18, 2004
The Taipei Times — along with Taiwan Heart, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and the Institute for National Development —hosts the symposium called "Implications of the presidential election and referendum for Taiwan's democracy" to discuss Taiwan's political development.
March 19, 2004
Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) are shot while leading a motorcade in Tainan City on the day before the presidential election.
March 20, 2004
Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) win the presidential election by 29,518 votes. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) do not accept the result and stage protests outside the Presidential Office. The Taipei Times runs a special 12-page report on the election, and frequently publishes breaking news on its Web site.
Mar. 20, 2004
Hits on the Taipei Times' Web site breaks 100 million. The paper gets an average of 200,000 hits per day.
May 1, 2004
The Taipei Times' bilingual section launches a “Business English” section for office workers.
May 17, 2004
The World Health Assembly's (WHA) annual meeting takes place in Geneva. Taipei TimesStaff Reporter Joy Su is one of the two Taiwanese reporter allowed to attend the meeting.
May 20, 2004
Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) take office, as supporters of the blue camp stage protests outside the inauguration ceremony.
June 15, 2004
The Taipei Times celebrates its fifth anniversary.
TRANSLATED BY IAN BARTHOLOMEW, WANG HSIAO-WEN, AND EDDY CHANG
WHEELING AND DEALING? Hou You-yi, Ko Wen-je, Eric Chu and Ma Ying-jeou are under investigation for allegedly offering bribes for the other side to drop out of the race Taipei prosecutors have started an investigation into allegations that four top politicians involved in attempts to form a “blue-white” presidential ticket have contravened election regulations. Listed as defendants are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). The case stemmed from judicial complaints filed last month with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office alleging that the KMT (blue) and the TPP (white) had engaged in bribery by offering money or other enticements
COUNTER DISINFORMATION: More engagement and media literacy are needed to push back against misinformation and claims that the US is an unreliable partner, the AIT director said The US is “confident” that Taiwan does not face an imminent threat of a Chinese invasion, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk told a US public radio show, adding that Washington remains committed to defensively arming the nation. She made the comment during an interview on All Things Considered, broadcast on Friday on US-based National Public Radio. “There is an important distinction between making plans and training troops, and getting ready to do something,” Oudkirk said, on whether she thinks Beijing plans to attack Taiwan in the near future. Chinese officials have told Washington that “their preference is for peaceful reunification,
EXPOSED: Some Taipei wardens reported joining the trips out of peer pressure, while others said they were relieved it was made public so they could refuse, a city councilor said Nearly 30 percent of Taipei borough wardens have joined group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government, leading prosecutors probing potential Chinese interference in January’s elections to question local officials, an investigation showed. Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City councilors Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) and Chen E-jun (陳怡君) have reported cases of Taipei borough wardens inviting residents to join inexpensive privately organized group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government. The six-day trips reportedly cost NT$10,000 to NT$15,000, the councilors said. An investigation by the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) showed that nearly 30 percent
ELIGIBLE FOR JANUARY: All presidential candidates and their running mates meet the requirements to run for office, and none hold dual citizenship, the CEC said Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator and vice presidential candidate Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈) is working with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to resolve issues with her financial disclosure statement, a spokesman for the candidate said yesterday, after the commission published the statements of all three presidential candidates and their running mates, while confirming their eligibility to run in the Jan. 13 election. Wu’s office spokesman, Chen Yu-cheng (陳宥丞), said the candidate encountered unforeseen difficulties disclosing her husband’s finances due to being suddenly thrust into the campaign. She is also the first vice presidential nominee to have a foreign spouse, complicating the reporting of
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