■ Diplomacy
Lee awaiting word from US
The US will approve the appointment of Taiwan's top representative to Brussels David Lee (李大維) to head the representative office in Washington as soon as next week, well-placed sources in the US capitol said. Lee, who is currently in Taipei and presented a report on Taiwan-EU relations to the legislature yesterday, was tight-lipped about a new appointment. He has previously said he might be replacing Chen Chien-jen (程建人) in Washington in July if the US accepts him. In his legislative report, Lee invited Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislators Lin Chung-mo (林重謨) and Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) to visit Washington after he officially takes up the job. Legislators encouraged Lee to be more than the Presidential Office's "fax machine" and to skillfully sell the government's ideas to the US.
■ Cabinet
Lai considers health post
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lai Ching-te (賴清德) confirmed yesterday that Department of Health Director-General Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) had invited him to replace Lee Long-teng (李龍騰), the department's outgoing deputy director-general. However, Lai said yesterday after meeting Chen that although the opportunity was hard to turn down, he already had plans to run for re-election in December's elections. Lai has asked for a couple of days to make a decision. Lai, a graduate of the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, holds a master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and is a member of the Sanitation, Environment and Social Welfare committee in the legislature.
■ Politics
Shih no legislator-at-large
Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) yesterday denied he would accept an arrangement to be a legislator-at-large for the People First Party (PFP), saying the PFP has misused his title for self-promotion. PFP Legislator Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) yesterday pointed out that Shih, who is a visiting scholar at George Mason University in the US, would not rule out the possibility of taking up the position of PFP legislator-at-large, along with former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). The PFP, which supports the Cabinet system, said Shih has previously met with Soong to discuss cooperation to promote the system in the future. However, an aide of Shih's who wished not to be named, yesterday flatly rejected the speculation, quoting Shih as saying that "he would never accept the arrangement." The aide said Shih was supportive of the Cabinet system and would return to Taiwan next month to work with President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) constitutional project to promote the adoption of the system. But Shih would never consider accepting any offer from the PFP.
■ Diplomacy
Chinese negotiator invited
Taiwan issued an invitation yesterday to China's top negotiator Wang Daohan (汪道涵) to visit the island, in an effort to restart stalled talks between the two countries. "We welcome Wang Daohan to visit Taiwan and meet with Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫) (Taiwan's top negotiator). There will be no restriction regarding whom Wang wants to see, what topics he wants to discuss and where he wants to go," said Wu Chao-hsieh (吳釗燮), chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Many Japanese couples are coming to Taiwan to obtain donated sperm or eggs for fertility treatment due to conservatism in their home country, Taiwan’s high standards and low costs, doctors said. One in every six couples in Japan is receiving infertility treatment, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data show. About 70,000 children are born in Japan every year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), or about one in every 11 children born. Few people accept donated reproductive cells in Japan due to a lack of clear regulations, leaving treatment in a “gray zone,” Taichung Nuwa Fertility Center medical director Wang Huai-ling (王懷麟)
PROXIMITY: Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location, the Executive Yuan official said Taiwan plans to boost cooperation with the Czech Republic in semiconductor development due to Prague’s pivotal role in the European IC industry, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) building a wafer fab in the German city of Dresden, a Germany-Czech Republic-Poland “silicon triangle” is forming, Kung said in a media interview on the weekend after returning from a visit to Prague. “Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location,” he said. “Taiwan and Prague have already launched direct flights and it is
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