■ Military
China slams US-Taiwan ties
China yesterday called on Washington to stop an effort by US lawmakers to establish a military training program for Taiwanese officers. The measures approved by the US House of Representatives last week as part of a US$491 billion military budget violates US commitments to China on relations with Taiwan, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said. "We firmly oppose [the measures] and have made solemn protests to the US side," said spokesman Kong Quan (孔泉), quoted by the Xinhua News Agency. He urged the US to "clearly recognize the severe harm of these provisions" and prevent them from becoming law. Washington has no official relations with Taiwan but is the nation's main arms supplier and military protector. The measure approved this week would require US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to create education program for Taiwanese military officers.
■ Crime
Drug possession up this year
A total of 16,588 cases of illegal drug possession were reported in the first four months of this year, up 6,400 cases or 62.77 percent over the same period last year, according to statistics released yesterday by the National Police Agency. The drugs seized by police in these cases amounted to 965.14kg, an increase of 187.71kg or 23.64 percent year-on-year. Of these cases, possession of first-degree drugs, including heroin, morphine and cocaine, accounted for 9,152 cases or 85.63kg. This represented a rise of 3,409 cases or 59.36 percent over the same period last year, although the amount was 39.36kg less than that of last year. Possession of second-degree drugs, including marijuana, amphetamine and MDMA, accounted for 5,342 cases and 843.97kg. This was an increase of 2,425 cases or 83.13 percent over the same period last year, and the amount was also 295.76kg more than that of last year. Possession of third-degree drugs, including FM2, ketamine and others accounted for 2,094 cases or 35.54kg. This corresponded to a jump of 563 cases or 36.77 percent over the same period last year, although the amount was 71.7kg less than that of last year.
■ Security
Coast guard holds exercise
The Coast Guard Adminis-tration held an anti-terrorism exercise at Kaohsiung Port yesterday. Coast guard officials said the "Haian No. 3" exercise was aimed at enhancing the coast guard's crisis management capabilities and strengthening the anti-terrorism measures of its coastal, seaborne and airborne operations. A total of 39 patrol ships and nearly 1,000 personnel from 21 units including the air patrol, maritime patrol and coastal patrol corps took part in the exercise.
■ Health
40% of troops are smokers
"Smoke 'em if ya got 'em" goes for the military with 40 percent of all enlisted men and women found to be smokers, and the lower the rank, the more they smoke, a recent study showed. Professor Chu Nien-feng (祝年豐) of the Tri-Service General Hospital released his research on the prevalence of smoking in the military at a conference on the military's anti-smoking campaign yesterday, which was part of activities held by the Department of Health and the Ministry of National Defense to mark World Anti-Smoking Day. Chu said that the Navy had the most smokers at 48.4 percent, while military police had the lowest rate at 32 percent.
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
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