■ Defense
Subs on the way?
Taiwan is expected to push through a defense budget of nearly NT$300 billion (US$8.93 billion) to procure eight conventional submarines from the US, a news report said yesterday. The Cabinet Friday approved the budget for the deal under the condition that the nation would build some of the submarines on its own, a Chinese-language newspaper said. Taiwan hopes the state-run China Shipbuilding will be partly involved in building four of the diesel-electric submarines and will build two on its own, the paper said. But the arms budget still requires parliamentary approval. Jane's Defence Weekly recently cited sources saying Taiwan's plan to build some of the vessels by itself "is very likely going to kill the whole deal," adding that the nation lacks the construction and testing infrastructure. Government officials declined to comment on the report. The deal has progressed slowly, as the US has not built conventional submarines for more than 40 years. Taiwan is also slated to buy a dozen submarine-hunting P3C Orion aircraft and three Patriot anti-missile systems from the US.
■ Trade
Deals reached in India
A trade mission specializing in medical equipment and instruments visiting India has obtained orders worth US$250,000 and is following up on trade opportunities, worth US$2.17 million, that were discussed in New Delhi, the first stop on its current trip, officials said yesterday. The mission, organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and composed of representatives of seven Taiwan companies, went on to Mumbai after leaving New Delhi. During its stay in Mumbai, the officials said, the mission members will hold individual business talks with their Indian counterparts, visit local business groups and attend seminars on the development of the medical industry.
■ Agriculture
Irrigation may be postponed
Irrigation for a second crop on Taiwan's largest grain-growing area, the Chianan Plain, may be postponed because reservoirs are facing a water shortage, officials of the Chianan Irrigation Association said yesterday. Although storms that approached the nation recently brought rain to the south, the Chiayi and Tainan areas received little rainfall. The water levels of the Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫) and the Tsengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) in Tainan County are extremely low because rain has been scarce since last November.
■ Politics
Lien: Get ready
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) has instructed his party's officials to prepare for the presidential election anew, a KMT spokeswoman said yesterday. Kuo Shu-chun (郭素春) said that Lien is confident of winning the lawsuit he filed with the Taiwan High Court to nullify the results of the March 20 presidential election, which the spokeswoman said was rife with irregularities. She said that a recount of votes initiated by the KMT and its political ally, the People First Party, has uncovered many electoral irregularities which she said cannot simply be considered mistakes committed by election officials. Lien will start a tour of the nation early next month in which he will thank his supporters and canvass for support for KMT candidates in December's legislative elections, Kuo said.
A tropical depression in waters east of the Philippines could develop into a tropical storm as soon as today and bring rainfall as it approaches, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, while issuing heat warnings for 14 cities and counties. Weather model simulations show that there are still considerable differences in the path that the tropical depression is projected to take. It might pass through the Bashi Channel to the South China Sea or turn northeast and move toward the sea south of Japan, CWA forecaster Yeh Chih-chun (葉致均) said, adding that the uncertainty of its movement is still high,
TAIWANESE INNOVATION: The ‘Seawool’ fabric generates about NT$200m a year, with the bulk of it sourced by clothing brands operating in Europe and the US Growing up on Taiwan’s west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function — a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called “Seawool.” Wang remembered that residents of his seaside hometown of Yunlin County used discarded oyster shells that littered the streets during the harvest as insulation for their homes. “They burned the shells and painted the residue on the walls. The houses then became warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” the 42-year-old said at his factory in Tainan. “So I was
THE TOUR: Pope Francis has gone on a 12-day visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. He was also invited to Taiwan The government yesterday welcomed Pope Francis to the Asia-Pacific region and said it would continue extending an invitation for him to visit Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the remarks as Pope Francis began a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific on Monday. He is to travel about 33,000km by air to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, and would arrive back in Rome on Friday next week. It would be the longest and most challenging trip of Francis’ 11-year papacy. The 87-year-old has had health issues over the past few years and now uses a wheelchair. The ministry said
Discounted 72-hour Taipei Metro passes are to be offered to China Airlines passengers until Feb. 28 next year, the airline announced today. China Airlines passengers may present their boarding pass for a discount of up to 34 percent when buying a Taipei Metro 72-hour unlimited travel pass. The offer is available to international travelers on international flights bound for Taipei. Within seven days of arrival, travelers can present their boarding pass, passport and proof of flight payment at an EZfly counter in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport or Taoyuan MRT Taipei Main Station to obtain the discounted passes, the airline said. One 72-hour pass
RSS