■ Politics
Beijing diplomat defends law
China's recent adoption of an "Anti-Secession" Law aimed at Taiwan is meant to bring about "peaceful national reunification," thee Chinese ambassador to Singapore Zhang Yun (張云) said yesterday. Speaking to the Foreign Correspondents Association of Singapore, Zhang defended the law passed last week by the National People's Congress, which triggered criticism from the US and Japan. "This law is meant to strengthen and promote cross-strait relations and bring about peaceful national reunification," Zhang said. "It is by no means a law on use of force against Taiwan, even less a law targeting Taiwan compatriots," he said. The law authorizes "non-peaceful" means against Taiwan if it moves toward formal independence.
■ Earthquake
Tremor shakes Nanao
A moderate earthquake shook northeastern Taiwan yesterday, the Central Weather Bureau said. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. The 4.8-magnitude quake was centered 12km southwest of Nanao, the weather bureau said. Nanao is 90km southeast of Taipei.
■ Health
Lu suffers dry eye relapse
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) suffered a relapse of dry eye syndrome Monday during a transit stop in Miami on her way back to Taiwan after concluding a trip to Central America. She recovered after medical treatment. She is scheduled to return to Taiwan today.
■ Economy
CSBC plans name change
China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC) president Fan Kuang-nan (范光男) said yesterday that a plan to change the company's name will cost an estimated NT$140 million (US$4.46 million). Fan told the legislature's Sci-Tech and Information Committee that the company submitted its name-change proposal to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in late January. The company is considering changing its name to "Central Shipbuilding Corp" or "Chungchuan Shipbuilding Corp" and will maintain its Chinese and English abbreviations to lessen the impact on its brand value, Fan said. According to Fan, CSBC is a reputable company in the international shipbuilding industry, with a brand value estimated at over NT$1 billion. The government has put forth a plan to change the names of state-run enterprises that bear the word "China" or "Chinese" to avoid confusion with those in China.
■ Politics
Chen's presence `irrelevant'
Whether President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) should take part in Saturday's protest to express anger over China's recent enactment of its "Anti-Secession" Law is beside the point, a US expert said on Tuesday. John Tkacik, a research fellow in China Policy at the Heritage Foundation, made the remarks at a seminar sponsored by the pro-independence Formosan Association for Public Affairs in Washington. According to Tkacik, Beijing has "irrationally" enacted the Anti-Secession Law and Taiwan has no need to counter it by adopting an anti-annexation law, making irrational moves to even the score, or by mobilizing a government-led protest march. But if it were the private sector mobilizing a million-people protest march on its own, it would underscore the will of the Taiwanese people to the international community, he said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
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
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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