■ Cross-strait ties
Unification must wait: Ma
The time is not yet ripe for unification between Taiwan and China, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in an interview with Newsweek magazine. Ma, who also serves as Taipei mayor, said while Beijing does not want to see Taiwan pursue de jure independence, it is also refraining from pushing for unification at the moment. For Taiwan, Ma said, the most important thing at present is to maintain the status quo and refrain from provoking Beijing. Taiwan should instead promote cross-strait trade and investment and take steps to ease the cross-strait tension, he added. In the interview with Newsweek correspondent Jonathan Adams, Ma said that unification is the ultimate goal for the KMT but it doesn't have a timetable for realizing that goal. He said he doesn't think that either side is ready for unification yet as the situation is not ripe.
■ Defense
Schools get defense courses
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday announced it would strengthen defense education in schools to raise people's awareness about China's military threat and its psychological, legal and media warfare against the nation. The government has decided to ask elementary schools, high schools and universities to strengthen defense education, and the ministry will offer teaching materials. Considering the possibility that China may launch a surprise attack on the nation's political and economic center, Taipei City, the ministry said the defense education will train people how to cope with an unexpected military attack. The ministry said that although students are currently required to take defense courses, these focus on military skills, while the new courses would highlight defense consciousness.
■ Society
Woman at CKS for a month
A Malaysian woman has been stranded at CKS International Airport in Taoyuan for more than a month, a local newspaper reported on Saturday. Amy He, 25, told the Chinese-language Apple Daily that she is awaiting the arrival of her father, a Taiwanese businessman, who is reportedly in the Philippines on business. The woman had traveled to Taiwan twice this year to visit her father, the paper said, but lost contact with him and came to Taiwan to wait for him. Her visa expired on Dec. 9, but immigration authorities allowed her to extend it for one month. Staff at the airport have been helping the woman by providing her with food and coins to call her sick mother in Malaysia.
■ Society
Christmas events planned
In an effort to make this year's Christmas events more spiritual and less commercial, the Taipei City Government has partnered with the Taipei branch of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan to host Christmas activities with a focus on understanding and tranquility. A series of events, including a theme Christmas tree, a Christmas cafe, a "Spreading the love from Taipei to the World" prayer session, Christmas Mass and Christmas Gospel, will be held between now and Christmas Day, the city government said. A special prayer session will be held at the observatory deck of Taipei 101 on Thursday. The main Christmas Eve celebration will take place at the Taipei Multifunctional Arena on the night of Dec. 24. Free tickets can be obtained at the city government's information department and several other locations. For more information, visit the Web site www.doi.tcg.gov.tw.
LOUD AND PROUD Taiwan might have taken a drubbing against Australia and Japan, but you might not know it from the enthusiasm and numbers of the fans Taiwan might not be expected to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC) but their fans are making their presence felt in Tokyo, with tens of thousands decked out in the team’s blue, blowing horns and singing songs. Taiwanese fans have packed out the Tokyo Dome for all three of their games so far and even threatened to drown out home team supporters when their team played Japan on Friday. They blew trumpets, chanted for their favorite players and had their own cheerleading squad who dance on a stage during the game. The team struggled to match that exuberance on the field, with
Whether Japan would help defend Taiwan in case of a cross-strait conflict would depend on the US and the extent to which Japan would be allowed to act under the US-Japan Security Treaty, former Japanese minister of defense Satoshi Morimoto said. As China has not given up on the idea of invading Taiwan by force, to what extent Japan could support US military action would hinge on Washington’s intention and its negotiation with Tokyo, Morimoto said in an interview with the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) yesterday. There has to be sufficient mutual recognition of how Japan could provide
UPDATED TEST: The new rules aim to assess drivers’ awareness of risky behaviors and how they respond under certain circumstances, the Highway Bureau said Driver’s license applicants who fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections or to check blind spots, or omit pointing-and-calling procedures would fail the driving test, the Highway Bureau said yesterday. The change is set to be implemented at the end of the month, and is part of the bureau’s reform of the driving portion of the test, which has been criticized for failing to assess whether drivers can operate vehicles safely. Sedan drivers would be tested regarding yielding to pedestrians and turning their heads to check blind spots, while drivers of large vehicles would be tested on their familiarity with pointing-and-calling
A Taiwanese man apologized on Friday after saying in a social media post that he worked with Australia to provide scouting reports on Taiwan’s team, enabling Australia’s victory in this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), saying it was a joke and that he did not hold any position with foreign teams or Taiwan’s sports training center. Chen Po-hao (陳柏豪) drew the rage of many Taiwan baseball fans when he posted online on Thursday night, claiming credit for Australia’s 3-0 win over Taiwan in the opening game for Pool C, saying he worked as a physical therapist with the national team and
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