■ Cross-strait Ties
PFP's Tsai off to China
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Tsai Shen-chia (蔡勝佳) left yesterday on an individual trip to China to give a speech on agriculture. Speaking to reporters before his departure, Tsai, who will head the delegation the PFP legislative caucus plans to send to China next week, said he would not be going to Beijing on this trip and would only be talking about agriculture. Tsai is also chairman of the Tainan County Farmers' Association. However, during a press conference later in the day, the PFP's legislative caucus emphasized that Tsai is representing the party on this trip. The motivation of his trip is to work for Taiwan's farmers, said PFP Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (劉文雄). Liu said the caucus is fully supportive of Tsai and his efforts.
■ Aid
Medical group departs
A four-member medical mission has traveled to Indonesia to help with post-earthquake relief work, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday. The group will offer medical services to survivors of the March 29 earthquake that struck off Sumatra, the official said. According to the official, the temblor resulted in the death or injury of more than 1,000 people, with Nias bearing the brunt of devastation. Out of humanitarian concern, the government has donated US$50,000 in cash and a large number of body bags to the Indonesian government, the official said, adding that the ministry has also told the representative office in Jakarta to buy US$10,000 worth of rice to help feed the quake survivors.
■ Labor
Employees unhappy with pay
Most employees earn less than NT$400,000 (US$12,700) per year and 91 percent of them and dissatisfied with their pay, according to the results of a poll made public yesterday. Some 26.7 percent of the respondents said that they earn an annual salary of between NT$390,000 and NT$300,000, while 24.8 percent and 22.1 percent claimed that they receive an annual salary less than NT$200,000 and between NT$200,000 and NT$290,000, respectively, according to the results of the survey carried out by the executive search Web site www.1111.com.tw. Only 1.43 percent of employees enjoy an annual salary of more than NT$1 million, making a per-capita salary of NT$342,300 per year, according to the poll. Employees aged between 31 and 35 get an annual salary of NT$448,100 on average, while those aged between 30 and 26 receive an average of NT$344,100. The 25-21 age group earn an average annual salary of NT$266,800. Some 82 percent of employees said that they are not satisfied with their pay, with only 6.6 percent satisfied with their earnings. About 91 percent dream of enjoying an annual salary of over NT$1 million, and those already achieving the goal said that it took them 5.09 years to reach that point.
■ Culture
Chinese explorer honored
A private group is organizing activities to observe the 600th anniversary of the naval expeditions led by Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (鄭和). The Chinese Zheng He Society, founded by Liu Tah-tsai (劉達材), a retired admiral, with former minister of education Wu Jin (吳京) as honorary chairman, will host lectures and international symposiums and other activities to mark Cheng Ho's first naval voyage -- aimed at increasing the prestige of the emperor of the Ming dynasty -- in 1405. Taipei City Councilor Pan Huai-tsung (潘懷宗) said Wu will give a lecture on Cheng at the Taipei City Council tomorrow.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
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