Sun, Dec 25, 2005 page3

• Taiwan Quick Take

  • STAFF WRITER, WITH AGENCIES
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  ■ Crime

  Counterfeiter arrested

  A 47-year-old man living in Tainan County was arrested on charges of counterfeiting Chinese banknotes and is being prosecuted. The Tainan County Station of the Bureau of Investigation said Huang Chao-sheng (黃朝生), who had been convicted of counterfeiting Chinese banknotes in June and sentenced to five years in jail by a district court, was again caught manufacturing the new version of the Chinese currency, which came out in September. Investigators raided Huang's residence early Thursday and found that he had turned the first and second floors of his home into a money-printing factory and was managing the whole production process by himself. The investigators seized 1 million yuan (US$124,000) in completed fake notes and more than half a million in semi-finished notes. They also confiscated three currency-printing machines, more than a dozen various other machines and computers. Tsai said the fake money was apparently intended to be supplied to buyers from smuggling rings for use during the Lunar New Year holiday.

  ■ Society

  Flower show opens

  With seven colorful landscape areas packed with flowers, the Taipei City Government invited the public to walk into an "Alice in Wonderland" world at the annual Taipei Flower Show, which kicked off yesterday at Daan Forest Park. The 10th annual flower show, held by the city government, attracts tens of thousands of people each year to experience the beauty of flowers. According to the city government's park and street lights office, the design of this year's show was inspired by the famous story Alice in Wonderland. The show runs through Jan. 23 at the Daan Forest Park. For more information, please visit pkl.tcg.gov.tw.

  ■ Agriculture

  Farmland set aside

  The Council of Agriculture has designated 2,000 hectares of fallow farmland for the growing of biomass crops including canola, soybeans and sunflowers next year, officials said yesterday. The farmland will be located in Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties, and the crops will be used for the production of biodiesel, they said. While only 90 hectares of fallow farmland in Ilan, Yunlin and Tainan were selected this year to grow the crops on a trial basis, the council decided to expand the size to 2,000 hectares next year after the trial was successful, they said. They pointed out that farmers growing biomass crops will receive a subsidy of NT$60,000 (US$1,800) per hectare from the government.

  ■ Society

  CEC warns on ID fraud

  Those caught trying to use their old and new ID cards to vote twice in next year's elections will face criminal prosecution, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has warned. The CEC's warning came as the nation began issuing new ID cards on Wednesday, or the first renewal since 1986. The issuing of the new ID cards will run until Dec. 31 next year, the CEC said, adding that between now and then, there will be a by-election for legislators in Chiayi City and elections for borough chiefs, and Taipei and Kaohsiung mayors and councilors. As both versions of the ID card will be valid next year, the CEC is devising ways of preventing voter fraud. The CEC officials said that during the elections, voter name lists will indicate whether a person has had their old ID card replaced, and ballots will not be given to those having received their new cards but trying to vote with their old ones.
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