Budapest Airport doubles frequency to Rotterdam
Transcription
Budapest Airport doubles frequency to Rotterdam
KMT presidential candidate calls for rival to heed cross-strait ties Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) Hung Hsiuchu (洪秀柱), presidential candidate of the ruling Kuomintang, said Tuesday that many policies advocated by her rival Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), have already been carried out by the government under President Ma Ying-jeou(馬英九). Hung was referring to Tsai’s “new southward policy” unveiled earlier that day in which the DPP chairwoman said it is natural to step up overall relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India as the nation seeks to diversify its trade. Tsai, the front runner in the Jan. 16 presidential election next year, said that the nation’s “go south policy” in the past was designed to encourage Taiwanese enterprises to increase investment in Southeast Asian countries, but her southward policy will not be confined only to trade and investment, but will also extend to civilian exchanges as well as cultural and educational links. Hung said Tsai’s policy is in right direction, but she hoped that Tsai and the DPP would realize the fact that only a stable cross-strait relationship will form the basis of peace and security for the 23 million people of Taiwan. Relations with other countries will be complementary, but will not replace cross-strait relations, Hung’s campaign office said in a news release. Moreover, the Ma administration has already carried out many things advocated by Tsai, noting that Taiwan’s exports to the ASEAN countries had grown from 14 percent of total trade in 2008 to 19 percent in 2014, Hung said. Educational and cultural exchanges with the ASEAN and South Asian countries have also made progress, Hung said. Noting that Tsai said the DPP will abide by international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Hung said Taiwan has done exactly that in its foreign policy over the past seven years. Although Tsai’s new southward policy is a well-intentioned one, it has ignored the impact of cross-strait relations on foreign relations, Hung said. As an aspiring leader of the nation, Tsai’s foreign policy, which does not have stable cross-strait relation as its base, could lead the nation astray, Hung warned. Hung also said the disputed South China Sea is a serious issue, and one should firmly claim its sovereignty and not make empty statements. Tsai said interests forward to diplomatic earlier the day the DPP will heed the strategic of Taiwan in the South China Sea and is looking conducting dialogues with related countries through means. Six countries, including Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim sovereignty over part or all of the South China Sea. (By Tseng Ying-yu, Lee Shu-hua and Lilan Wu) Enditem/ke DPP presidential candidate to visit Japan next month Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the Democratic Progressive Party’s chairwoman and candidate for the Jan. 16 presidential election next year, will lead a delegation to visit Japan Oct. 6-10, a DPP spokesman said Tuesday. Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬), said the visit shows that the party values its friendship with Japan given that it is an important neighbor and that both have close trade and cultural relations. Tsai’s first stop will be Tokyo, where she will attend a welcome party given by Taiwanese expatriates in her honor. Tsai will thank the support of the Taiwanese expatriates and share the party’s vision for democratic values in Taiwan and its future. On Oct. 7, Tsai’s delegation will visit Yamaguchi prefecture, the westernmost prefecture in the main Japanese island Honshu to tour some of its high-tech industry facilities. On Oct. 8-9 , Tsai will return to Tokyo to visit with various political parties. Arrangements are being made for meetings with the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party as well as a parliamentarian group friendly to Taiwan. Tsai’s 16-member delegation will also include party SecretaryGeneral Joseph Wu (吳釗燮). (By Sophia Yeh and Lilian Wu) Enditem/ke DPP presidential candidate unveils ‘new southward policy’ Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the presidential candidate of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said Tuesday that her party will promote a “new southward policy” to strengthen relations with Southeast Asian countries and India. Tsai said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India will soon become major economies in the world and that “it is a natural choice for us to step up overall relations with ASEAN and India” as Taiwan seeks to diversify its trade. “In the future, we will establish a task force to actively execute the goals of the policy,” she said. Tsai, the front runner in the Jan. 16, 2016 presidential election, made the remarks at a cocktail party for foreign envoys in Taiwan as the DPP celebrated the 29th anniversary of its founding. She said the nation’s “go south policy” in the past was designed to encourage Taiwanese enterprises to increase investment in Southeast Asian countries, but she said trade and investment will only be a part of the cooperation under her southward policy. A diversified and multi-faceted trade partnership will also be established for civilian exchanges, as well as cultural and educational links, she said. On the DPP’s foreign policy, Tsai said that “among us (the attendees at the party), there may be some countries whose national interests are not quite the same, and whose views on some issues might be different, but I believe all nations are striving for the same goals of peace, stability and prosperity.” Tsai also said that “we are watching closely international events, including the recent Syrian refugee crisis.” “We believe that there is a need to establish a domestic legal mechanism” to let Taiwan take part in the international community’s assistance plan for helping refugees. The DPP will also make efforts to ease regional conflicts, citing the tension in the South China Sea as an example, she said. The DPP is cautiously heeding the strategic interests of Taiwan in the region, and is looking forward to conducting dialogues with related countries to solve disputes by diplomatic means. “To achieve this end, the DPP will abide by international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and respect navigational freedom,” she said. The DPP will also step up trade and cultural relations with such democratic countries as the United States and Japan, based on mutual trust, respect and communication. In addition, “we hope to build a non-government organization (NGO) international center so that Taiwan can take the lead in supporting NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region to do valuable work,” she said. More than 140 diplomatic personnel from 64 countries attended the party, including American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Kin Moy, Japan’s Interchange Association Representative Mikio Numata, and Wong Wie Kuen, representative of the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei. Moy, who was accompanied by his wife, gave Tsai a big hug and they had a pleasant talk. Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), DPP secretary-general, said the number of AIT personnel and foreign envoys attending the party was the largest on record. Wong for his part said he is glad to see any policies that will support regional development and cooperation. (By Sophia Yeh and Lilian Wu) ENDITEM/J Inventec to ship Xiaomi laptop in early 2016 SONY DSC Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) Taiwanese contract notebook maker Inventec Corp. (英業達) is working with China’s Xiaomi Inc. (小米), the world’s fourth-largest smartphone maker, to produce Xiaomi’s first laptop, which is expected to ship early next year. Inventec Chairman Richard Lee (李詩欽) confirmed the news to reporters Tuesday on the sidelines of the 12th cross-Taiwan Strait forum on technical standards for information technology, saying that Inventec has also manufactured tablet computers for Xiaomi. He said the upcoming Xiaomi laptop is expected to start shipping in the first or second quarter of 2016, amid optimism that it will draw attention from the current 200 million users of Xiaomi smartphones. “At least they will create a different look for their laptops, just like their smartphones,” Lee said, referring to the Beijing-based company’s stylish phones with premium components at mid-range prices. Lee said the Xiaomi laptop is developed by Inventec’s handset subsidiary, Inventec Appliance Corp. (英華達), which assembled about 30 million smartphones for Xiaomi last year. The five-year-old Xiaomi’s vault into the PC business could bring additional cost pressures against industry leaders such as Lenovo Group Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Apple Inc., according to a Bloomberg News report in early September. Taiwanese media reported earlier this month that the Xiaomi notebook will be around 15 inches in size and will run the Linux operating system, with a starting price of 2,999 Chinese yuan (US$471). Xiaomi was the world’s fourth-largest smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year, capturing a 5.3 percent share and trailing behind Samsung Electronics Co.’s 21.7 percent, Apple’s 14.1 percent and Huawei Technologies Co.’s 8.9 percent, according to research group International Data Corp. (IDC). (By Jeffrey Wu) ENDITEM/J France seeking investment from Taiwan more Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) France has put a high priority on attracting more foreign investment from Asia, and Taiwan is one of the main target partners, France’s new representative to Taiwan said at an investment seminar Tuesday. The seminar on investing in France was part of the French government’s initiative to promote foreign investment from 50 target countries and territories, said Benoit Guidee, director of the French Office in Taipei. These include 10 from the Asia-Pacific region, said the office, which represents France’s interests in Taiwan in the absence of bilateral diplomatic ties. France has taken several steps to improve its business and investment environment, including streamlining administrative procedures, setting up e-government services and pushing for tax reforms aimed at attracting more investors, said Guidee, who took up his post earlier this month. Speaking of the relations between Taiwan and France, he said France is one of Taiwan’s major cooperation partners in culture, higher education and scientific research. Both sides are also working to advance cooperation in the area of innovation, he added. There are currently about 50 Taiwanese companies with investments in France, mostly in luxury goods and hotels and the electronics and logistics fields, he said. The number is quite low compared with South Korea and Japan’s presence in France, he said, adding that there is still plenty of untapped potential for investment ties between Taiwan and France. At Tuesday’s event, Pierre Moussy, economic counselor of the French Office in Taipei, also gave a briefing on France’s investment environment. Advantages of investing in France include its geographic location at the heart of the world’s largest market, the European Union, a productive workforce and an innovative economy, he said. France has also engaged in wide-ranging reforms to strengthen its competitiveness, including cuts in taxes for businesses by 2017 and measures to support innovation and investment. Representatives of Taiwanese companies that have invested in France were also invited to the seminar to share their experiences with potential Taiwanese investors. (By Elaine Hou) ENDITEM/ls U.S. against unilateral changes to cross-strait status quo Washington, Sept. 21 (CNA) The fundamental interest of the United States is in peaceful and stable cross-Taiwan Strait relations, and Washington is against either side changing the status quo unilaterally, U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said Monday. “The longstanding position of the United States is unchanged,” she said. “We remain committed to our ‘one China’ policy based on the three Joint Communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act.” “Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable crossStrait relations, and we oppose unilateral changes to the status quo by either side,” she added. Rice touched upon the issue while giving a speech on “the U.S.-China Relationship” at George Washington University. Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is scheduled to arrive in Seattle on Tuesday for his first state visit to the United States, during which the issue of Taiwan is expected to come up. Xi will have a working dinner at the White House with U.S. President Barack Obama on Sept. 24 and will be greeted with a 21-gun salute and hold a joint news conference with Obama a day later. According to Rice, the two leaders will exchange views on human rights, cyber security and the South China Sea. (By Rita Cheng and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/ls Taiwan given assurances over China’s new travel card: premier Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) China has given a “positive response” to Taiwan’s concerns over a new electronic card issued to Taiwanese visitors, Premier Mao Chikuo (毛治國) said Tuesday. At the request of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) under China’s State Council clarified late Monday that all information stored in the card would be consistent with that on the passport-style document that it replaces, Mao told reporters. The TAO has also said that the new card, which looks like a credit card with the bearer’s picture, will only be used for travel purposes, Mao said. The premier reiterated Taiwan’s hope that no new measures related to exchanges across the Taiwan Strait should be implemented until after a consensus is reached through full consultations between the two sides. On Monday, Mao expressed Taiwan’s “extreme dissatisfaction” over the lack of discussions prior to China’s announcement that it would begin to issue the new card that day. The Chinese side notified Taipei of the new electronic card before a trial in July and its full implementation Monday without prior consultations, said Lin Chu-chia (林祖嘉), deputy chief of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the Cabinet agency responsible for relations with China. There has been a lack of consultation despite Taiwan’s persistent demand that there should be prior consultations before any important policy concerning cross-Taiwan Strait relations is announced, Lin said at the Legislative Yuan. The new travel pass will replace the paper document that Taiwanese citizens had used to enter mainland China until Monday. Taiwanese citizens are not able to use their Republic of China (Taiwan) passports to travel to China because Beijing views Taiwan as part of China and maintains that the two sides should be united one day. In the public notice issued on Sept. 15, the Chinese government said Taiwan residents can apply to its public security departments above the county level to exchange their travel document for the new card. Chinese authorities will stop issuing paper documents on Sept. 21, the notice said. Those who do not exchange their existing paper document can continue to use them until they expire, according to Lin. To coincide with the introduction of the new card, China began in July to allow Taiwanese visitors to enter its territory without the need to first apply for an entry permit similar to a visa. The IC card system for Taiwanese travelers was implemented on a trial basis July 1, less than a month after China announced the change, and Taiwan was officially informed of the new policy 20 minutes before it took effect, according to MAC chief Hsia Li-yan (夏立言). While the new measures make it easier for Taiwanese to travel to the mainland, China’s adoption of the smart card was viewed with suspicion among many in Taiwan, who questioned whether it was designed to downgrade Taiwan’s status to that of Hong Kong and Macau. The card is similar to the “home visit permits” issued to residents of Hong Kong and Macau, China’s two special administrative regions which used to be British and Portuguese colonies, critics said. Some Taiwanese scholars have also expressed concerns over possible information security breaches with the use of the card. Experts have said that the smart chip embedded in the card would make it easy for Taiwanese tourists in China to be subjected to police surveillance. (By Tseng Ying-yu and Jay Chen) Enditem/ls Average monthly earnings in first 7 months of 2015 up 3.53% Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) The monthly earnings of the average worker in Taiwan rose 3.53 percent in the first seven months of this year from a year earlier, due largely to an increase in year-end and performance bonuses, according to government statistics released Tuesday. In the seven-month period, the average employee earned NT$51,454 (US$1,575) a month, the highest ever recorded for the same period of the year in the country’s history, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said. Monthly earnings consist of regular wages (including salary and fixed monthly subsidies and bonuses) and irregular earnings such as overtime pay and year-end and performance bonuses, which Taiwanese employers tend to issue before the Lunar New Year holiday. After being adjusted for a 0.65 percent fall in Taiwan’s consumer price index, average real earnings for the first seven months of the year were NT$49,960 in 2011 Taiwan dollar terms, up 4.2 percent from a year earlier and the highest ever for the period. The DGBAS said the average regular wage was NT$38,591 for the January to July period, also a record high and up 1.43 percent from a year earlier. During the same period, average irregular earnings rose 10.37 percent from a year ago to NT$12,863 due to an increase in bonus payments, according to the DGBAS. It said the average real regular wage was NT$37,471, the highest in eight years and up 2.09 from a year earlier. In July alone, average monthly earnings stood at NT$46,922, up 5.25 percent from a month earlier and 2.26 percent from a year earlier, the DGBAS data showed. Average regular wages for the month rose 0.05 percent from a month earlier and also grew 0.84 percent from a year earlier to NT$38,851, the data showed. Meanwhile, the average number of monthly working hours in the first seven months stood at 172.7 hours, down 1.7 hours from a year earlier, the DGBAS said. The figure for July alone was 186.6 hours, up 9.3 hours from a month earlier but down 1.3 hours from a year earlier, the government agency said. (By Chen Cheng-wei and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/ls Taiwan promotes greenhouse gas reduction act at AECEN event: EPA Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) on Monday promoted the country’s greenhouse gas reduction efforts at an environmental compliance conference in Thailand, the EPA said in a statement. The Greenhouse Gases Reduction and Management Act went into effect in Taiwan in July, signaling that the country is heading toward a low-carbon society, the statement cited Hsiao Ching-lang (蕭清郎), head of the EPA’s Bureau of Environmental Inspection, as saying at the opening of the conference. The act sets a long-term goal for carbon emissions to be reduced to less than half the level of 2005, by 2050. Through the conference, Hsiao said, he hopes different countries will be able to share their experiences in environmental compliance and enforcement and work together to protect the earth. Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, meanwhile, predicted that environmental enforcement authorities will increasingly rely on technology to regulate pollution and monitor the quality of the environment, according to the statement. Organized by the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network, the “Next Generation Compliance in Asia” is taking place Sept. 21-23 in Bangkok. The conference brings together government agencies, academics and private sector representatives from 16 countries. It will address such topics as national enforcement systems in Asia, improving the effectiveness of compliance programs, and advanced technologies for detecting violations. AECEN was established in 2005 by environmental agencies from 13 Asian countries, with the aim of promoting better compliance of environmental protection laws. (By Zoe Wei and Christie Chen) ENDITEM/cs Free influenza vaccines to become available Oct. 1: CDC Taipei, Sept. 21 (CNA) Governmentfunded flu vaccines will be available from Oct.1 and eligible recipients should get their shots as soon as possible at the nation’s 3,000 medical facilities where the free vaccines are offered, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Monday. CDC Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said that this year, the government purchased more than 3.16 million doses of influenza vaccine, including 2.93 million for adults and 233,000 for children, about 68,000 doses more than last year. These doses of free flu vaccine are available for high-risk groups, including people aged 65 and over; children between the ages of six months and preschool years; nursing home residents, patients with rare or acute diseases; health care workers; those working in animal farming or animal disease prevention and people aged between 60 and 64 with high-risk chronic illnesses. This year, pregnant women and people aged 50 and above with high-risk chronic illnesses will also become eligible to receive the free immunization, according to Chuang. The vaccines offered by the government this year are the types recommended by the World Health Organization, which are trivalent vaccines protecting against three influenza viruses — influenza A (H3N2) virus, influenza A (H1N1) virus, and influenza B virus of the Yamagata lineage, according to Chuang. Drifted H3N2 viruses were first detected in March 2014 and subsequently caused widespread outbreaks, Chuang said. The winter’s dominant virus strain–a mutated variant of H3N2–has claimed 400 lives in Hong Kong, he added. (By Lung Pei-ning and Evelyn Kao) Enditem/cs