■ TRANSPORTATION
THSRC winner named
The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) welcomed its 5 millionth passenger yesterday, five months after launching its service between Taipei and Kaohsiung. Chen Feng-hsiung (陳峰雄), 70, walked out of Banciao Station a happy man after having received his prize -- a model high speed train and 10 business-class tickets valid for one year -- during a ceremony conducted by Ted Chia (賈先德), a deputy manager at the THSRC in charge of public relations. Chen was traveling with his family and a group of 40 friends from his neighborhood in Changhua. He said he had booked the tickets for himself and his family at the end of last month for a one-day sightseeing trip from Wujih (烏日), Taichung County, to Banciao. Chen said he had already ridden a high speed train on six occasions and felt quite satisfied with the service.
■ AGRICULTURE
New measures for Ilan rice
In an effort to promote the county's rice brand, starting next month the Ilan County Government will designate all rice harvested on its territory "Ilan Rice" (宜蘭米) before putting it on the market, government officials said yesterday. To increase the confidence of consumers in the safety and quality of the products, the county will also require that information about the rice, such as its "taste value," be included on the packaging, the official said. "Taste value" is determined using a near-infrared grain analyzer to study the chemical composition of the rice samples, the spokesman said. At present, many varieties of Ilan rice are packaged using different names, including Dongnung Rice (冬農米) and Shanshui Rice (山水米) by the Dongshan Farmers' Association, and Yuekuang Rice (越光米) and Wunung Rice (五農米) by the Wuchieh Farmers' Association, making it difficult to ensure quality, the spokesman said.
■ DEVELOPMENT
Taipei County thinks big
The Taipei County Government will hold a three-day economic development conference starting on Wednesday with the aim of injecting fresh momentum into its economy. Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) made the announcement at a news conference attended by representatives from the local high-tech, service and tourism sectors. Chou said that the county has great potential for developing high-tech and service-oriented businesses. To create business opportunities and attract tourism, county authorities will be given the responsibility of creating an environment that is suitable for growth, he said.
■ MEDICINE
Hu, Shaw undecided on arm
Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) will attend the 2007 annual Sister Cities International Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from July 18 through July 21. Asked by the media last week on whether his wife Shaw Hsiao-ling (邵曉鈴) -- who lost her left forearm in a car accident last November -- would go with him so that she could obtain a prosthetic arm from experts in the US, he said he was not sure that her health would allow her to travel next month. Hu said doctors have suggested that if Shaw only wants a cosmetic prosthetic, the job could be done in Taiwan. If, however, she wants an electronic arm that functions almost like a natural one, doctors said she should go to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for more information on such devices. Hu said Shaw's doctors were divided on whether she should be fitted with a cosmetic or an electronic arm.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
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