■ Taipei zoo
Fund-raising plan to debut
The Taipei Zoo will kick off an animal adoption campaign on Wednesday in the hope of promoting the concept of animal protection among its 4 million annual visitors. The annual fee for individuals willing to take part in the campaign is NT$1,000 (US$29), while groups will pay NT$200,000. Proceeds will be used by the zoo authorities or other research teams to study wildlife protection and conversation both at home and abroad. According to measures approved by the Taipei City Government, 21 rare and endangered species, including indigenous Formosan bears, Formosan macaques, Formosan rabble fish and spotted dears, as well as non-native species such as Asian elephants, koalas and white rhinos, will be covered.
■ Politics
Sovereignty issue raised
A group of politicians and academics urged the government yesterday to take concrete measures to protect the nation's sovereignty over the disputed Tiaoyutai Islands. In a seminar on the Japan's leasing of the Tiaoyutai Islands, participants claimed that the island group is "definitely part of Chinese territory, based on historical and geographical considerations." Soong Yen-hui (宋燕輝), a researcher at the Academia Sinica, and Yu Kuan-shih (俞寬賜), a professor at National Taiwan University, said that the Japan intends to imply its sovereignty over the islands by leasing them. The government should take concrete measures to cope with the Japanese move. The seminar, organized by the Chinese Society of International Law, was chaired by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the society's president. Legislator Chou Shi-wei (周錫瑋) and the government's representative to Japan, Lin Chin-ching (林金莖), also attended the meeting.
■ Economics
Panama talks set for March
The third round of negotiations for a free-trade agreement between Taiwan and Panama will be held in Panama City from March 17 to 21. Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Ruey-long (陳瑞隆) will lead Taipei's delegation to the negotiations. ROC Ambassador to Panama C. Y. Hu (胡正堯) told CNA that a free-trade agreement would facilitate the development of trade relations between the two countries.
■ Cross-strait ties
Better climate needed
The government should move swiftly to improve its investment climate in view of China's magnet effect in pulling in foreign investment, Council for Economic Planning and Development Vice Chairwoman Ho Mei-yue (何美玥) said yesterday. Ho said this country should upgrade and enhance its functions in order to provide foreign investors with an unfettered and sound investment climate. Citing a study by Germany's Deutsch Bank, Ho said opening direct links next year would help businesses slash 50 percent of transport fees and 30 percent in financial transaction charges. Direct links would also help create a 2.5 percent economic growth rate for this country between next year and 2008, she said. Ho said the government has drawn up countermeasures to minimize the negative impact of agricultural and farm products from China on local produce. Ho said that if the nation were to improve its investment climate, including lowering transport costs for cross-strait travel and expanding airlinks network, it would have a stronger appeal than China as an operational hub.
■ Diplomacy
German delegation arrives
A nine-member German parliamentarian delegation, headed by George Fahrenschon, arrived yesterday for a week-long visit. The group is expected to meet with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and other senior government officials to exchange views on bilateral ties and other international matters. They will also visit several economic and cultural establishments, including the National Palace Museum. Other delegates include Stephan Mayer of the Bundestag and Alexander Radwan, a member of the European Parliament. Meanwhile, Cardinal Zenon Crocholewski, the Vatican's minister for education affairs, was due to arrive yesterday for a six-day visit. Crocholewski will also meet with the president during his stay.
■ Energy policy
Energy trip a success
The government will push for a nuclear-free policy that seeks clean alternative sources of energy and will lead to the phasing out of nuclear power plants, Minister Without Portfolio Yeh Jun-jong (葉俊榮) said yesterday. Yeh made the remarks upon his return from a week-long visit to Germany at the head of a Nuclear-Free Homeland Promotion Commission delegation. Yeh said he learned a lot from Germany's experience in developing environmentally friendly technology. He said the delegation met with the federal vice minister of environment and other high-ranking officials and nuclear energy experts. Yeh said the commission will organize a national conference this spring to discuss non-nuclear development and the government will draw up a new direction for the nation's energy development.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
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