After his release from custody, former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) plans to be back in his office today.
In response to the court’s orders that he not travel and suggestion that he not make public statements, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) suggested that Chen should set up a blog to post his writings from his period in detention.
Gao said Chen had no blog, apart from some materials on the Ketagalan Academy Web site. Since Chen wrote a lot during his detention, Gao suggested a blog would be a suitable way for Chen to voice his thoughts.
A blog would not go against the court’s suggestion that Chen not mobilize the public over his court case, Gao said.
Gao said he had also read a book published by former National Science Council (國科會) deputy minister Hsieh Ching-jyh (謝清志) in which he discussed his own period in detention and the eventual court proceedings, which Gao said could help Chen with his own experiences.
Hsieh was held incommunicado in custody for 59 days after allegations surfaced surrounding a project to complete the Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park to reduce the impact of vibrations from the high-speed rail. He was found not guilty in July.
Gao and a number of other DPP legislators said they would meet today to discuss an appropriate time to visit Chen.
Chen was released from detention early on Saturday morning after a four-hour hearing. He was held incommunicado for 32 days without charge.
He was indicted on charges of embezzling government funds, money laundering and forgery along with 13 others, including his wife, son and daughter-in-law.
As prosecutors are seeking the “severest penalty,” legal experts say that Chen, the first former president to be indicted, could face life in prison if convicted.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS