■ Culture
Mask festival begins
The 2005 Miaoli International Mask Festival kicked off yesterday with a carnival and exotic atmosphere at the Shan Grira Paradise recreation park in Chaochiao township. With Latin American mask art a focus for the event, many, historic and valuable hand-crafted masks featuring ancient spirits of the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs are on display during the festival that will run through May 29. There will also be a series of music and dance performances performed by folk troupes from Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Malawi during the 65-day activity, organized by the Miaoli County Government.
■ Economy
Firms urge better China ties
Companies based in the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park in northern Taiwan yesterday called for improved relations with China, saying it is vital for both sides to upgrade their technologies. Tung Chao-chin (童兆勤), chairman of a federation of companies based in the hi-tech park, said peace and security across the Taiwan Strait is a conduit for the continuation of hi-tech development. Both sides will be hurt if tensions continue to mount, he said, adding that Taiwan's hi-tech businesses long for sound government policy and goodwill from both sides to maintain peace in the region. That China has become one of the world's economic powerhouse is clear and more foreign enterprises seek to invest into its market, he said. Chen Hsi-meng (陳希孟), chairman of an IC design company operating in the park, viewed cross-strait peace as the key gauge for Taiwanese companies long-term investment potential in Taiwan. Should cross-strait stability become uncertain, the pace of Taiwanese companies "going west" will diminish and foreign enterprises would begin to worry, Chen said.
■ Arms Embargo
EU slams Chinese law
As the EU considers lifting its arms embargo against China, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana criticized Beijing's policy toward Taiwan. "The EU is working just as it has before on the lifting of the arms embargo against China," Solana told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. "However, Beijing's `Anti-Secession' law is creating concern for us. "The threat of non-peaceful means to solve the `Taiwan problem' contradicts the European position. The `one-China' policy must be pursued solely through dialogue," he said.
■ Society
Love for Taiwan in the blood
People in Yunlin County in southern Taiwan have taken a different approach to show their love for Taiwan, in contrast to yesterday's march in Taipei to protest against China's newly enacted `Anti-Secession' Law targeting the country. The opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), working with other groups, launched a blood donation drive in front of the Touliou Railway Station, while the Disabled Women's Association also sponsored a charity auction, which received a good response.
■ Politics
Japan groups criticize law
Representatives from social groups and associations in Japan protested outside the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo yesterday, expressing their indignation at China's recent enactment of an "Anti-Secession" Law targeting Taiwan. More than a dozen representatives took part in the protest attended by Lin Yao-nan (林耀南), who serves as an adviser to Taipei's Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, reading a protest letter. Lin said that Taiwan has established a nation by democratization with its president popularly elected. China's law is nothing more than an excuse to try to swallow up Taiwan and the law has been met with derision from the people in Taiwan and condemned by the international community, Lin said.
■ Politics
TSU kicks off signature drive
The pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) launched a signature drive in Tainan County yesterday for a proposal to hold a referendum on China's "Anti-Secession" Law targeting Taiwan. The party proposed that a referendum be held on May 14 alongside the elections for the ad hoc National Assembly to let the people vote on "whether Taiwan agrees or disagrees with the Anti-Secession Law." According to Tseng Hsin-chao (曾信超), head of the TSU's Tainan County branch, a lot of people in southern Taiwan were not able to participate in the large-scale 326 March for Democracy and Peace being held in Taipei yesterday because of transportation problems, and the signature drive was organized to allow them to voice their protest at China's legislation.
■ Politics
PFP nominee list released
The opposition People First Party (PFP) released the 83-person candidate nomination list for the National Assembly on Friday. In a statement late Friday night, the PFP said that its list of nominees reflected the party's emphasis on academia, social groups and women. Eight of the top 12 nominees on its list have PhDs, while 19 of its top 25 nominees are female. Three of the top 25 nominated were born in 1979, reflecting the party's focus on today's youth the statement added. The top-ranked nominee on the PFP's list is former legislator and professor Lee Tung-hao (李桐豪), while Secretary-General Chin Chin-shen (秦金生) is at the bottom of the list.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS