■ Politics
Sisy Chen flies to Korea
Independent legislator and TV personality Sisy Chen (陳文茜) left Taipei for Seoul on Saturday night. Chen, a former spokeswoman for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and who is one of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) most scathing critics, bought a full-priced air ticket to Seoul at the China Airlines counter at CKS International Airport. Her departure came on the heels of the re-election of President Chen by a slim margin of less than 30,000 votes. Though not a member of the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the sharp-tongued and quick-witted Sisy Chen has been a great boost to the KMT camp by constantly claiming that President Chen's administration is incompetent. Sisy Chen raised many questions about the situation surrounding the shooting of President Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) when they were canvassing in Tainan.
■ Politics
TSU appeals for calm
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) appealed for ethnic harmony and a humble government on Saturday in the wake of the presidential election. Hailing President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election success as evidence of Taiwan's democratization, Huang urged Beijing authorities to rethink their saber-rattling toward Taiwan. Chen's re-election represents the fact that the awareness of Taiwan's identity is growing fast among the people in Taiwan and China should rethink its strategy in its dealings with the country, Huang said.
■ Labor
Indonesian ban may end
A ban on imported Indonesian labor that has been in place since 2002 may be lifted, an economic official said yesterday. Taiwan and Indonesia are also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at increasing wages and benefits for Indonesians already working in Taiwan, said David Lin (林永樂), chief economic and trade representative for Indonesia. "We are getting close to concluding this [agreement] ... hopefully it will be signed by May," Lin told a press briefing. Taiwan stopped recruiting Indonesian workers in August 2002.
■ Foreign affairs
Japan calls for dialogue
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi urged both sides of the Taiwan Strait yesterday to restrain themselves and resolve their differences through dialogue. Local media reported that the minister made the comments ahead of a visit to China planned for early next month. She also said that Japan neither supports Beijing's use of force against Taiwan nor the island's independence.
■ Election
Ministry Web site hacked
Suspected hackers from China attacked a Ministry of Finance Web site after the presidential elections and posted a protest against the victory of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), a ministry official said yesterday. The treasury bureau Web site was closed temporarily, Mark Wei (魏寶生), secretary-general of the ministry, told reporters. "The Web site of the treasury bureau of the Ministry of Finance was attacked by Chinese hackers who put onto it some content related to the election," he said.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
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