DEFENSE
US ship transits Strait
A US military vessel transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday, the Ministry of National Defense said. The vessel sailed north through the Taiwan Strait, it said in a statement, adding that it was closely monitoring nearby airspace and waters as the ship crossed and observed nothing unusual. In another statement, the US identified the ship as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson. The ship was conducting a routine Taiwan Strait transit through waters where high seas freedom of navigation and overflight apply under international law, it said. “Ralph Johnson’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US’ commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle,” the statement said. “No member of the international community should be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms.” Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Li Xi (李熹) criticized the US for “trumpeting” the transit.
EVENTS
Taiwan to host scout event
Taiwan is to host the 2029 World Scout Moot following a successful bid at the World Scout Conference in Cairo, the General Association of the Scouts of China (Taiwan) said yesterday. Taiwan on Wednesday garnered the support of more than 90 percent of the nearly 2,000 attendees from 176 countries, it said in a statement. The association said the event is to take place at Tsou Ma Lai Farm in Tainan, where the 12th National Jamboree was held last month. The World Scout Moot is one of the three major international scouting events, along with the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Jamboree. The World Scout Moot is held every four years, primarily for scouts aged 18 to 25. Taiwan previously hosted the event in 2004.
WEATHER
Storm not to impact Taiwan
A low-pressure system in the Pacific was upgraded to a tropical storm early yesterday, but would not impact Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Shanshan was 2,290km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) at 8am, moving at 6kph in a north-northwesterly direction, it said. CWA data showed it had maximum sustained winds of 72kph, with gusts reaching 101kph. The agency said the storm would not directly impact Taiwan and was moving slowly toward Japan.
TRADE
Paraguay open to China
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena on Wednesday said he was “fully open” to trade deals with China via South American trade bloc Mercosur, despite his country’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Paraguay is the last South American country with formal relations with Taiwan. Mercosur, a customs union, has been in talks to finalize a trade deal with the EU, but has also discussed a potential trade deal with China. “Our position with China is one of total openness,” Pena said of Paraguay’s position within Mercosur, adding that the obstacle was China not accepting its recognition of Taiwan. “We are in favor of advancing trade agreements,” he said in an interview with Reuters. Mercosur officials held a dialogue with Chinese counterparts on Monday last week in Uruguay’s capital. “I see prudence on Brazil’s side,” Pena said of the possible China agreement, which he emphasized that he supported. “I think that the most interested is Uruguay, and we accompany this effort to have a conversation as a bloc.”
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
A 72-year-old man in Kaohsiung was sentenced to 40 days in jail after he was found having sex with a 67-year-old woman under a slide in a public park on Sunday afternoon. At 3pm on Sunday, a mother surnamed Liang (梁) was with her child at a neighborhood park when they found the man, surnamed Tsai (蔡), and woman, surnamed Huang (黃), underneath the slide. Liang took her child away from the scene, took photographs of the two and called the police, who arrived and arrested the couple. During questioning, Tsai told police that he had met Huang that day and offered to
A British man was arrested for attempting to smuggle 14.37kg of marijuana into Taiwan through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Customs said late yesterday. The man, who arrived from Bangkok at 9pm on Friday, was asked by customs officers to open his luggage during a random inspection, Taipei Customs said in a news release. The passenger, whose identity was not disclosed, refused to open his suitcase and tried to flee the restricted area. He was eventually subdued by three customs officials and an Aviation Police Bureau officer. A later search of his checked luggage uncovered 14.37kg of marijuana buds. The case was handed over
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