■ Party politics
TSU expands reach
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) expressed the hope yesterday that his party will win at least 35 seats in the next legislative elections to be held late next year. Addressing the inauguration of the party's Kaohsiung County chapter in southern Taiwan, Huang said that although the TSU had only 50-odd members when it was established in August, 2001, the party won 13 seats in the 225-member Legislature in the elections held in December of that same year and grabbed 8.5 percent of all the votes cast nationwide. The TSU plans to established 27 more regional chapters.
■ Third-World Trade
Market seen in Iraq
A spokesman for the Market Information Center under the Institute for Information Industry suggested yesterday that Taiwan's information sector could seek business opportunities in occupied Iraq through contractual mechanisms for reconstruction to be led mainly by the US. The spokesman said Taiwan computer firms, usually unfamiliar with Third World markets, could consider exploring the post-war Iraqi market by seeking a role in the US-imposed reconstruction program. It is estimated that at least US$350 billion will be needed to carry out reconstruction in Iraq, he noted, adding that the country's demand for new computers is around 1 million units per year.
■ Legislative reform
Referendum still on platform
A DPP lawmaker yesterday reiterated the ruling party's support for a referendum law. Legislator Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), the DPP legislative caucus whip, said his party has never wavered in its support for giving to the public the right to referendum to have the final say on national issues which he said is a vital part of a democracy. Through referendums, the government could follow public opinion in deciding whether to go ahead with controversial major public projects such as the island's fourth nuclear plant, Chen said. Chen has not shown his hand on whether such a law should be used in settling the question of whether the country should rename itself.
■ Health
Groups write to Annan
More than 20 organizations of Taiwanese-Americans in Los Angeles sent a joint letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Saturday, urging him to support Taiwan's bids to join the World Health Organization and to attend the 55th World Health Assembly as an observer in May. The letter pointed out that the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is threatening the lives of all people in the world, but the 23 million people on Taiwan have been denied the assistance that WHO can provide.
■ Water resources
Mayor urges vigilance
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday called for continued efforts by the public in conserving water to avoid a water shortage despite the fact that the situation at the Feitsui Reservoir in Taipei County has improved recently.
Ma made the remarks at a water-conservation campaign sponsored by the municipal Environmental Protection Bureau prior to Earth Day which is tomorrow. Although the water level at the Feitsui Reservoir -- the major water provider for the greater Taipei area -- is higher compared to the same time last year thanks to last week's rainfall, Ma urged Taipei residents to continue cooperating with water-conservation efforts.
Thirty-five earthquakes have exceeded 5.5 on the Richter scale so far this year, the most in 14 years, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said on Facebook on Thursday. A large earthquake in Hualien County on April 3 released five times as much the energy as the 921 Earthquake on Sept. 21, 1999, the agency said in its latest earthquake report for this year. Hualien County has had the most national earthquake alerts so far this year at 64, with Yilan County second with 23 and Changhua County third with nine, the agency said. The April 3 earthquake was what caused the increase in
INTIMIDATION: In addition to the likely military drills near Taiwan, China has also been waging a disinformation campaign to sow division between Taiwan and the US Beijing is poised to encircle Taiwan proper in military exercise “Joint Sword-2024C,” starting today or tomorrow, as President William Lai (賴清德) returns from his visit to diplomatic allies in the Pacific, a national security official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said that multiple intelligence sources showed that China is “highly likely” to launch new drills around Taiwan. Although the drills’ scale is unknown, there is little doubt that they are part of the military activities China initiated before Lai’s departure, they said. Beijing at the same time is conducting information warfare by fanning skepticism of the US and
DEFENSE: This month’s shipment of 38 modern M1A2T tanks would begin to replace the US-made M60A3 and indigenous CM11 tanks, whose designs date to the 1980s The M1A2T tanks that Taiwan expects to take delivery of later this month are to spark a “qualitative leap” in the operational capabilities of the nation’s armored forces, a retired general told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview published yesterday. On Tuesday, the army in a statement said it anticipates receiving the first batch of 38 M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks from the US, out of 108 tanks ordered, in the coming weeks. The M1 Abrams main battle tank is a generation ahead of the Taiwanese army’s US-made M60A3 and indigenously developed CM11 tanks, which have
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is unlikely to attempt an invasion of Taiwan during US president-elect Donald Trump’s time in office, Taiwanese and foreign academics said on Friday. Trump is set to begin his second term early next year. Xi’s ambition to establish China as a “true world power” has intensified over the years, but he would not initiate an invasion of Taiwan “in the near future,” as his top priority is to maintain the regime and his power, not unification, Tokyo Woman’s Christian University distinguished visiting professor and contemporary Chinese politics expert Akio Takahara said. Takahara made the comment at a
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