■ TRANSPORT
Alishan railway to reopen
The Alishan Forest Railway is expected to resume full operations on Friday, the Chiayi Forest District Office said yesterday. The railway has been closed since June, when a landslide destroyed one of the tunnels along the route. The maintenance crews repairing the tunnel have experienced problems because of two earthquakes in July and the heavy rains brought by typhoons Sepat and Krosa that caused more landslides in the surrounding areas, damaging both the railway tracks and roads. The office said the crews have completed the installation of protective layers both inside and outside the tunnel, so that falling rocks would not crush the tunnel structure. The office originally estimated that the construction would be completed next March.
■ CRIME
Taichung tops vote-buying
Prosecutorial authorities have handled 3,597 vote-buying cases involving a total of 5,948 defendants during the run-up to next month's legislative elections, Vice Justice Minister Chu Nan (朱楠) said yesterday. The figures, which cover data available as of Friday, show that the Taichung Prosecutors Office has handled the largest number of cases, at 779, while the Tainan Prosecutors Office and the Yunlin Prosecutors Office have handled the second and third-largest number of cases, at 351 and 314 respectively. On cases related to March's presidential election, prosecutorial authorities nationwide have handled 59 cases involving a total of 104 defendants, Chu said.
■ DIPLOMACY
Hau announces Tokyo visit
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday that he would visit Tokyo in February to attend a marathon at the invitation of his Tokyo counterpart, Shintaro Ishihara. Hau made the announcement following a meeting at Taipei City Hall with Tokyo Metropolitan Councilor Takashi Kabayama, who has been in Taiwan since Saturday heading a delegation of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship and Culture Promotion Association. On Sunday the Japanese group took part in the Taipei International Marathon, which drew tens of thousands of local and foreign runners. At the meeting with Hau, Kabayama said their participation in the Taipei marathon was in preparation for the upcoming Tokyo International Marathon, which is scheduled for Feb. 14. He invited Hau to visit Tokyo and take part in the annual race. In response, Hau said he would make the trip but would not compete as he is not a runner.
■ TRANSPORT
MOTC to amend regulations
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said yesterday that it would amend its traffic regulations in order to be able to issue an operational license to a mobile cargo X-ray inspection system purchased by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The system is installed in a large truck and is used to examine containers for illegal items. In 2005, the MOF bought two of the vehicles for NT$200 million (US$6 million) in order to inspect containers at Keelung Port. A report published in the United Daily News yesterday said that officials at Keelung Port have not been able to use the vehicles for the last two years because they have yet to secure licenses from the MOTC. The MOTC said the height and width of the vehicles exceeded specifications laid down in the road safety regulations. Because of this, the MOTC has been unable to issue a license, it said.
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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