Taichung touts 26 sights for those tired of crowds

To attract domestic tourists, the Taichung Cultural Affairs Bureau is promoting 26 sights around the city that have an “artistic flair.” The sights include walking trails, cycling trails, railway lines and coastal spots that have public art installations, the bureau said. The sights would be a welcome diversion for visitors, who have recently faced large crowds when traveling elsewhere in the country, it said, adding that it is promoting four different tours, each outlined on a map that it has published. The bureau would hold eight public events to promote the tours, it said. Taichung is known as the “cultural city,” as it has been promoting public art for more than 20 years, bureau Director Chang Ta-chun (張大春) said. Throughout the city there are more than 500 public art installations, many of them in parks or on school grounds, he added. The tours would enable the public to become more familiar with the city’s public art, and introduce people to some of the more outstanding small businesses, he said. For example, tea shop Pah Ji Hue (百二歲茶食事), the Farmer’s Story House (農村故事館), patisserie Pao Chuan (宝泉百年餅舖) and the Taichung Fishermen’s Association are places where visitors can buy quality local products, he said. One of the tours would pass through Situn District (西屯), which has the city’s highest concentration of public art, he said. The tour would start at the National Taichung Theater, pass through Charlotte Park, the New City Hall Park and by the Taichung City Council, with stops for people to enjoy the public art at each location, he said. Another one is a bicycle tour that takes off from the Taichung City Zhongshan Land Office in West District (西區), where participants can examine the fixtures on the building’s exterior, before moving on to the Taichung Literature Museum to look at

By Su Meng-chuan and William Hetherington

Steroid approved for COVID-19 treatment: CDC

Taiwan has provisionally approved the use of dexamethasone, a cheap and widely used steroid for COVID-19 treatment, as it faces a shortage of the antiviral drug remdesivir after the US bought nearly all of global supplies. Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) told reporters on Tuesday that medical experts had provisionally allowed the steroid to be listed as a treatment for the virus, but that procedures still needed to be completed before it could be given to patients. Taiwan has reported 476 cases of COVID-19, including seven deaths. Most of the cases are imported and almost all have recovered. It has kept numbers low thanks to early and effective prevention work. The Central News Agency (CNA) this week reported that stocks of US drugmaker Gilead’s COVID-19 medicine remdesivir were low. Taiwan had originally ordered 2,000 doses to arrive by the end of last month, but as of this week only had 78 in stock, enough to treat 54 seriously ill patients, CNA said. Remdesivir is the only drug so far authorized in the EU to treat patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19 and is globally in high demand after the intravenously administered medicine helped to shorten hospital recovery times in a clinical trial. However, in results announced in June, a trial by researchers in the UK showed dexamethasone as the first drug to save lives of COVID-19 patients in what scientists said was a major breakthrough in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan last month also approved the use of dexamethasone to treat COVID-19.

By Ben Blanchard and Ana Nicolaci da Costa

NCC chair vows independence

CHANGE: The commission said it is thinking about lifting the cap on the number of cable news channels, and approved a proposal to move SET-TV’s iNews to channel No. 48

The National Communications Commission (NCC) would continue to be an independent agency within the government, and would insist on maintaining its independence in regulating broadcast media content, even after it becomes part of a new ministry of digital development, commission Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) said yesterday. Chen, NCC Vice Chairman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) and three other commissioners — Wang Wei-ching (王維菁), Lin Lih-yun (林麗雲) and Hsiao Chi-hung (蕭祈宏) — took office on Monday. As per tradition, the chairman and six commissioners were required to attend the first weekly news conference after new commissioners have assumed office to answer reporters’ questions. Chen was asked if the commission could maintain its independence with him at the helm, as his predecessor, former NCC chairwoman Nicole Chan (詹婷怡), was reported to have resigned after being accused by the Executive Yuan of failing to curb the spread of disinformation ahead of the 2018 nine-in-one elections, particularly from the broadcast media. “NCC commissioners can withstand any political pressure and operate independently, because they are guaranteed by the political system to serve a full term regardless of a transition in political power. Even if the nation would soon have a ministry of digital development, which might include the NCC as one of its agencies, we would insist the commission operate independently in the regulation of media content,” Chen said. Taiwan is a democratic nation, and it is normal that the commission’s handling of cases would receive criticism, he said, adding that Taiwan, like other democratic nations, is also learning to cope with problems caused by misinformation. The commission cannot handle every instance of misinformation, from stories about swine flu and COVID-19 to transportation issues, Chen said, adding that all government agencies should work together to tackle the problem. Wang and Lin were asked about their involvement in CtiTV News’ license

By Shelley Shan

Bribery Case: Former NPP chairman quits party over scandal

Former New Power Party (NPP) chairman Hsu Yung-ming’s (徐永明) withdrawal from the party over his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal failed to appease some young members, with two Taipei city councilors saying that they have also withdrawn from the party in protest of its handling of Hsu’s case Hsu was on Tuesday released on bail of NT$800,000. The party confirmed that it had received Hsu’s application to leave the party via fax at 3:50pm yesterday before its Disciplinary Committee’s scheduled meeting at 5pm. Within an hour of the party receiving Hsu’s application, Taipei city councilors Lin Ying-meng (林穎孟) and Huang Yu-fen (黃郁芬) issued a statement, saying that they were leaving the party, too. “As independent legislators, we would continue to oversee the Taipei City Government and residents in the city,” they said. The two said that they joined the relatively young party and ran in local elections to reform politics in Taiwan, so that more young people’s voices could be heard. However, the party forgot why it was formed and instead inherited many corrupt political practices, they said. “The party management often used the news media to launch mudslinging campaigns against members with different opinions from theirs, which has already caused several legislators to leave the party,” they said. “We have tried our best to communicate with the party’s senior management. Not only were our opinions ignored, but we were at the receiving end of unsubstantiated and fabricated allegations. The same thing happened again when the party tried to weather the crisis caused by Hsu’s alleged involvement in the corruption scandal,” they said. The way the party handled Hsu’s case also made the public question whether it has double standards when it deals with members who contravene party regulations, they said, adding that the punishment and penalties were decided based on the people

By Shelley Shan

Bribery Case: Prosecutors file to detain lawmaker, ex-NPP chair

The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has filed a motion to detain independent Legislator Chao Cheng-yu (趙正宇) and former New Power Party chairman Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) over their alleged involvement in a department store bribery case after they were released on bail. Three other legislators — Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) and Sufin Siluko (廖國棟) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), and Su Chen-ching (蘇震清) of the Democratic Progressive Party — as well as former Pacific Distribution Investment Co (太平洋流通) chairman Lee Heng-lung (李恆隆) spent their second day at the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei’s Toucheng District (土城) yesterday while their lawyers sought to have them released on bail. Lee is the central figure in litigation over the ownership of Pacific Sogo Department Store, which was allegedly why he bribed lawmakers. Su’s office director, Yu Hsueh-yang (余學洋); Sufin’s office director, Ting Fu-hua (丁復華); and Kuo Ke-ming (郭克銘), a political lobbyist and general manager of Knowledge International Consultancy are also being held at the center as suspects in the corruption probe. Media reports yesterday quoted sources as saying that Lee spent more than NT$160 million (US$5.42 million at the current exchange rate) in bribes and other payments over the years, adding that other legislators, aides and officials could be implicated as the investigation continues. The investigation has shown that Lee provided NT$40 million, mostly to legislators, in a bid to have the Company Act (公司法) amended, and to lobby lawmakers to pressure the Ministry of Economic Affairs and other officials to help him wrest back control of Pacific Sogo from Far Eastern Group chairman Douglas Hsu (徐旭東). Prosecutors said that they have built solid cases against Chao and Hsu and seek to have them rearrested — Chao had been released on a NT$1 million bail and Hsu on NT$800,000 — to prevent them from fleeing, destroying evidence or colluding

By Jason Pan

KMT did not pay for 85% of land: committee

Of all the land that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) acquired following its retreat to Taiwan in 1949, 85 percent was transferred to the party free of charge, while 11 percent was via transactions, the Cabinet’s Ill-gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee said on Tuesday. Of the 11 percent, 68 percent was sold to the party at the price it demanded, with no market competition involved, committee statistics showed. Seventy percent of the transactions involving that 68 percent took place after the KMT had occupied, borrowed or rented the land, the statistics showed. A total of 74 hectares of public land was transferred to the party free of charge, including the Tainan-based Jin Zi Farm (金子農場) and Dr Sun Yat-sen Park (逸仙公園) in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District (中正), the statistics showed. The land sold to the party totaled about 9.5 hectares, of which 6.5 hectares were sold after it requested or demanded a transaction, they showed. “Occupy, borrow or rent before making a purchase,” the committee said, referring to the seemingly standard practice followed by the KMT when it acquired state-owned land following its retreat to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party. Many such purchases by the KMT were illegal, the committee said, citing as an example the Housheng Building (厚生大樓) in Taipei. The building used to house the party’s Department of Productive Enterprise. The plot of land it was built on was originally owned by the Japanese, before being registered as a state-owned property in 1950, and being transferred to state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) in 1958, it said. In March, 1970, the department allegedly wrote a letter to Taipower, stating that it needed to rent the plot, or purchase it for NT$2.38 million (US$80,662 at the current exchange rate), as it wanted to construct a building on it, the committee said. Taipower

By Chen Yu-fu and Dennis Xie

New book celebrates life in Hakka communities

The Hakka Affairs Council yesterday released a collection of stories highlighting people who have returned or moved to Hakka communities. Hakka communities refer to areas that have been listed as “key development areas of Hakka culture” by the council. Under the Hakka Basic Act (客家基本法), townships, cities and districts in which Hakka make up more than one-third of the total population are listed as “key development areas of Hakka culture” to “enhance the inheritance and development of the Hakka language, culture, and cultural industries.” The new book, titled Zon Loi Liau, expands on a 50-episode television program — Hsing Chuan Wo Chuang (行轉我庄) — the council produced with Formosa TV last year, the council said. In the program, which can be watched online, people who have settled down in Hakka communities share their stories about living there, their interactions with the land and how they have found themselves, it said. In the book, the council brings together the stories of 66 entrepreneurs and young people living and working in Hakka communities, the council said, adding that it is available for purchase. Some of the people are successful businesspeople who have returned to their hometowns to give back to the local community, while others are young farmers incorporating new technology in their practices, it said. In Hakka, zon (轉) means “return,” council Minister Yiong Con-ziin (楊長鎮), who wrote the foreword for the book, said at the launch of the book in Taipei. To return also implies a fulfillment of one’s nostalgia for the land, he said. Yiong, a Hakka born in Miaoli County, said that he admires and envies people who return to live in Hakka communities. The council has released a booklet along with the book containing text written by Hakka author Kao Yi-feng (高翊峰) for the television program last year. Kao’s text was used to introduce each episode in

By Sherry Hsiao

Virus Outbreak: Returnee listed as a new case; dengue alert issued

LIMITS OF TESTING: The CECC said mass testing for COVID-19 may not be particularly beneficial, as blanket testing of travelers from the Philippines missed cases

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported a new case of COVID-19, a Taiwanese woman who returned from the Philippines, while the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urged people to avoid mosquito bites, as the risk of indigenous dengue fever is rising. CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), the CECC’s spokesman, said that the new case is in her 50s and lives permanently in the Philippines. The last record of her leaving Taiwan is in January and she returned to Taiwan alone on Sunday, Chuang said. On arrival in Taiwan, the woman reported having a fever since Thursday last week, but did not consult a doctor, he said, adding that she had a slightly high body temperature of 37.7°C, coughing, phlegm and sore muscles, he said. The woman was taken to a centralized quarantine facility after receiving a COVID-19 test at the airport and yesterday was transferred to a hospital for treatment after a positive test result, Chuang said. Health authorities are identifying the passengers who sat close to her on the flight to Taiwan, he said. Asked about comments by National Taiwan University College of Public Health vice dean Tony Chen (陳秀熙), who said that a Belgian in Taiwan confirmed to have COVID-19 last week likely contracted the disease in Taipei in late June, Chuang said that real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests had been conducted on 441 people who had close contact with the Belgian, with 366 people testing negative and 75 results not yet available. Antibody tests were also conducted on the 441 people, with 382 returning negative results, he said. “We have not determined whether the case is imported or domestic, but we will collect all the information we can and bring it to the CECC’s advisory specialists’ panel for discussion,” Chuang said. Asked whether the CECC would consider requiring all visitors to

By Lee I-chia

Virus Outbreak: Infection of Belgian likely happened in Taipei: expert

A Belgian man who tested positive for COVID-19 in Taiwan last week is likely to have contracted the disease in Taipei in late June, National Taiwan University (NTU) College of Public Health vice dean Tony Chen (陳秀熙) said yesterday. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Saturday reported that the man, who is in his 20s, came to Taiwan for work on May 3 and tested positive on Wednesday last week as he was about to depart. The man in March reported loss of taste and smell, the center said, adding that he worked in Changhua County, but visited Taipei several times, and traveled to Yilan County and Taichung this month. Although the center has not listed the case as imported or locally acquired, health experts have said that the man might have contracted the disease in Taiwan. There are four possible scenarios for how the man was infected: He contracted it in Belgium, he had close contact with an infected traveler on his way to Taiwan, he was exposed to an infected person in a local community, or he contracted the disease twice — in Belgium and in Taiwan, Chen said. Among the four scenarios, contracting the disease in Belgium or being infected twice are the least likely, he said. The viral load should have significantly reduced after so many weeks if he was infected in Belgium, while genome sequencing of the virus would need to be conducted to determine if he contracted it twice, Chen said. Based on the cycle threshold value of a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test that the man had, he might have been exposed to COVID-19 from June 20 to 26, which includes time that he was in Taipei, Chen said. “It is impossible that Taiwan has no domestic cases,” he said. “We are only testing people who have symptoms, so

By Lee I-chia

Parental leave for fathers sought

GENDER INEQUALITY: The Childcare Policy Alliance said that while female participation in the labor force is increasing, male participation in parenting has not

The government should amend parental leave regulations to encourage fathers to take time off in the four weeks following a child’s birth, advocacy groups told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Representatives from groups including the Childcare Policy Alliance, the Birth Empowerment Alliance of Taiwan and the Awakening Foundation urged the government to allow fathers to receive 90 percent of their usual pay for time they take off work in the first month following a child’s birth. Since 2002, the Act of Gender Equality in Employment (性別工作平等法) has allowed workers to take parental leave up until the child reaches the age of three, the Childcare Policy Alliance said, adding that in 2009, provisions were added to give employees who take unpaid parental leave an allowance equal to 60 percent of their usual pay for the first six months. However, citing the 2020 Gender at a Glance report published by the Executive Yuan’s Department of Gender Equality, the Childcare Policy Alliance said that women still accounted for most of those who take parental leave. In 2018, about 88,000 people were approved for their first period of parental leave allowance. Of those, more than 72,000, or about 82.3 percent, were women, the report showed. While female participation in the labor force is increasing every year, male participation in parenting has not, Childcare Policy Alliance spokesman Wang Chao-ching (王兆慶) said. This trend discourages women from having children, which in turn affects the birthrate, Wang said. However, with policy intervention — such as policies for shorter, but better-paid parental leave — more men would be encouraged to apply for time off, he said. The Childcare Policy Alliance said that the number of newborns in the nation this year could fall below 160,000. A-tse (阿澤), a father who spoke at the news conference, said he used annual leave and unpaid personal leave to spend

By Sherry Hsiao

Singapore Airlines to resume three weekly services

Singapore Airlines yesterday said that it would resume three weekly services to Taiwan next month after air traffic between the two counties was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets for flights to Singapore and other destinations in the airline’s network are available now, it said. Starting on Sept. 2, flights between Taiwan and Singapore would operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays using Boeing 787-10s, the airline said. On Wednesdays and Fridays, flights would depart from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 5:45pm and arrive in Singapore at 10:15pm, while those departing from Singapore would leave at 11:45am and arrive in Taoyuan at 4:40pm, it said. On Saturdays, flights from Taiwan would depart at 2:20pm and land in Singapore at 6:55pm, while flights from Singapore would leave at 8:20am and arrive in Taiwan at 1:30pm, it said. The airline said it is offering greater flexibility to ensure that people can plan their travel during a challenging time, with those making new bookings after March 5 to get unlimited complimentary rebookings for flights on or before Aug. 31 and a one-time complimentary rebooking for flights after Aug. 31. People are encouraged to visit the COVID-19 Information Center on the airline’s Web site to learn more about precautionary measures against the virus, as well as transit and travel advisories, it said. The airline said that it also has codeshare flights with budget airline Scoot. People with Singapore Airlines tickets for Scoot-operated flights can transit in Singapore for travel to any of Singapore Airlines’ destinations, it said. However, entry into Singapore is not allowed, it said. Cabin baggage is normally limited to 3kg on Scoot flights and must be securely stowed under the front seat, Singapore Airlines said. However, with Singapore Airlines tickets, economy-class passengers are entitled to up to 35kg of checked baggage on flights operated by Scoot and business-class passengers up to 40kg, it

By Shelley Shan

Somaliland office to open soon: MOFA

DIPLOMATIC MOVES: Beijing is reportedly pressing the state after reports of forming links with Taiwan, while the ministry is also planning to reopen its office in Guam soon

A representative office is set to open in Somaliland at the end of this month, at the earliest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday amid reports that Beijing is sending a diplomatic delegation to the east African country. The ministry on July 1 announced that Taiwan and Somaliland would establish representative offices, following a report by the Somaliland Chronicle Web site. It said at the time that the two nations did not plan to establish formal ties. Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi has instructed close confidants to explore the possibility of “mutual recognition between Taiwan and Somaliland,” the Somaliland Chronicle reported on Monday, citing sources speaking on condition of anonymity. He had also ordered a close examination of the US’ Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) Act of 2019, which encourages the US government to increase economic, security and diplomatic engagements with nations that have enhanced relations with Taiwan, the Web site said. Bihi has refused to meet Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian (覃儉), who has been in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, since Sunday, on his third visit this year, it reported. A delegation of high-ranking diplomatic officials from Beijing was due to arrive in Somaliland, possibly as early as today, the Web site reported. Asked about Somaliland’s plans, as reported by the Web site, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news briefing in Taipei that the ministry would not comment on opinions of anonymous sources. Taiwan and Somaliland maintain effective communications, and their alliance is built on their shared values of protecting freedom, democracy and human rights, the spokeswoman said. Taiwan’s representative office in Hargeisa is set to be formally established at the end of this month or early next month, although the plan could change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. While Somaliland is not recognized by most countries, Ou

By Lin Chia-nan

Officer’s family donates his organs

The family of rookie police officer Yang Ting-hao (楊庭豪), who died after being severely injured in a traffic accident on Sunday, has donated his organs and corneas, family members told a news conference yesterday at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City’s Banciao District (板橋). A 17-year-old unlicensed scooter driver surnamed Chang (張) collided with a police scooter ridden by Yang shortly after midnight on Sunday as Yang and two colleagues were headed to a fight that had been reported in Shulin District (樹林). Yang, 21, had only been a police officer for 10 months. He suffered severe head injuries in the crash and was diagnosed with subarachnoid hemorrhage, Intensive Care Unit director Hung Fang-ming (宏芳明) told reporters. Paramedics had to restart his heart before transporting him to the hospital, and while Yang’s vital signs improved after treatment, he scored 3 on the Glasgow Coma Scale, the lowest possible score, indicating he had suffered severe brain injuries, Hung said. After Yang spent 24 hours on life support, his family was briefed on his prognosis, and agreed to sign the organ donation forms, and doctors pronounced him brain dead. His family said that they believe Yang would have wanted his organs to benefit others. Ten families would benefit from the donations, they added. The hospital said Yang’s heart, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas and corneas were donated. In related news, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Sandy Yeh (葉毓蘭) said she is considering proposing an amendment to Article 185-3 of the Criminal Code that would include unlicensed driving in the list of offenses and stipulate that parents of offending minors should be punished. The parents of minors or those aged 18 who are found to have driven without a license and caused the death of others should be subject to collateral punishment, as they have failed in their duties as

By Lai Hsiao-tung and Jake Chung

KMT, DPP suspend privileges of three detained legislators

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) suspended membership privileges for legislators Sufin Siluko (廖國棟) and Chen Chao-ming (陳超明) after they were detained by the Taipei District Court yesterday, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) announced, while Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Yen Juo-fang (顏若芳) said the party had suspended Legislator Su Chen-ching’s (蘇震清) membership privileges after he was detained in the same corruption probe. All three lawmakers have been questioned by prosecutors a bribery case linked to former Pacific Distribution Investment Co chairman Lee Heng-lun’s (李恆隆) 2013 legal battle with Far Eastern Group for control of Pacific Sogo Department Store. The KMT Disciplinary Committee is launching investigations into Sufin and Chen, and the result of those probes would determine if the pair lose their KMT membership, Chiang said. He also called on the judiciary to be just and fair when reviewing the legal cases against them. Under the KMT’s party charter, members have their privileges suspended if a court finds them guilty of corruption in the first trial, and their membership is revoked if they are found guilty again in the second trial, Chiang said. “We have already fast-tracked the punitive measures,” he said. The decision to take punitive measures if Sufin and Chen were detained had been made on Saturday, he said. The KMT has conducted internal reviews after several incidents of its members being convicted of corruption and the Disciplinary Committee has been asked to look into measures to deter such acts, he said. All party members should endeavor to refrain from such acts, Chiang said. In related news, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday said that Cabinet members and other officials should not treat a government job as a fast-track path to riches. “To be voted into power is not to work for our own benefit, but to benefit Taiwan as a whole,” Tsai said.

By Lin Liang-sheng, Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung

B&Bs in Penghu warned against inflating rates

Bed and breakfast (B&B) operators in Penghu County are to be disqualified from receiving government subsidies if they deliberately inflate room prices for the second phase of “disease prevention tours,” Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. Lin told reporters after attending a news conference about an outdoor children’s theater production — a partnership between Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) and the Paper Windmill Theatre (紙風車劇團) — that is to take place near Taichung High Speed Rail Station on Saturday to celebrate Father’s Day. The government’s tourism stimulus package has helped travelers experience high-quality domestic tours, and B&B operators should not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, Lin said. “The Tourism Bureau told Penghu County Government officials that operators found to engage in this kind of behavior a second time should be disqualified from applying for tourism subsidies,” Lin said. “Local government officials must thoroughly enforce the Consumer Protection Act (消費者保護法) and hold offenders accountable.” Subsidies for the second phase of “disease prevention tours” are to be available until the end of October, Lin said. As more people are heading to attractions in Yilan, Hualien, Taitung and the outlying islands, the bureau would step up campaigns to promote travel destinations in northern and central Taiwan to help divert the crowds, he said. Cities and counties seeing a large influx of visitors would be asked to suspend tourism marketing events during the summer, Lin said, adding that the bureau would also be postponing marketing subsidies for those areas. To ease traffic congestion in the Hsuehshan Tunnel during the Mid-Autumn Festival in October, the National Freeway Bureau would implement measures to redirect the traffic, Lin said. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications would reinforce public transport connecting the east and west coasts, Lin said. For example, the Yilan Railway Station would be turned into a

By Shelley Shan

Union protests overtime pay delay, new schedule

The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) should distribute nearly NT$30 million (US$1.02 million) in overtime pay it owes its workers, cancel a new work schedule set to be implemented next year and start negotiations with the Taiwan Railway Union, the union demanded yesterday morning as it launched a protest in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei. TRA workers have yet to receive overtime pay they are due for May and June, due to a budget shortfall, the union said. “Employees are supposed to receive their salaries for the previous month on the 25th of each month. However, when checking the receipts of our salaries in June and last month, train dispatchers and conductors did not see the overtime pay that was supposed to be in their accounts,” the union said. TRA Transportation Department employees have received an official letter saying that it would implement a new work schedule next year, which the union said would reduce their pay. The agency organized the new schedule without adequate communication with its employees, and it plans to suspend overtime pay and force workers to accept its new schedule, the union said. Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that the ministry would facilitate negotiations between the agency and the union, and expedite the distribution of overtime pay for TRA workers. “The agency has in recent years recruited 4,000 new workers. We want to make sure that the workload of frontline employees can be eased, and they are paid accordingly. At the beginning of this year, we secured the legal right to distribute employees’ benefits, which include overtime pay,” Lin said. However, the TRA said that it has submitted an analysis of the additional funding needed for overtime pay to the ministry. The Taiwan Railway Labor Union, which is also affiliated

By Shelley Shan

Jittery HK authors seeking safety in Taiwan

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: Publishers and bookstores in the territory are wary of running afoul of Beijing’s vaguely worded security legislation, so authors are looking to Taiwan

China’s new security legislation for Hong Kong has cast a threatening shadow over the territory’s dynamic book industry, with anxious publishers combing through back catalogues for potentially “subversive” material, and looking to Taiwan as a safe haven for printing fresh titles. The territory has long been a refuge for intellectuals, free from the authoritarian grip of the Chinese mainland’s communist leaders, but that status is at risk of crumbling as Beijing’s new legislation sends fresh jitters through a publishing industry already wary of overstepping China’s red lines. “Major publishing and printing houses now dare not touch a project like ours,” said Woody, asking to use just a first name, who is one of a group of journalists putting together a book of interviews with witnesses of Hong Kong’s explosive pro-democracy protests last year. The team was forced to review the entire contents of the title — Our Last Evolution — after Beijing served notice of the legislation in June, and three writers subsequently requested changes. “For the rest, it’s not that they don’t have any fear, they just don’t know what specifically they should worry about,” Woody said. Beijing has made no secret of its dislike of the books that roll off printing presses in Hong Kong, often painting an unflattering and at times salacious picture of many Chinese officials. In 2015, five men linked to a Hong Kong bookstore and publishing house offering gossip-filled tomes vanished — including one from his holiday home in Thailand — before resurfacing in Chinese custody making “confessions.” One, Lam Wing-kei (林榮基), skipped bail and went public with a story of kidnapping and lengthy interrogations. He has since fled to Taiwan. The climate of fear has only intensified under the new legislation, which uses vague language to target secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Public and school libraries have already started