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Visiting U.S. congressional
delegation supports Taiwan’s
TPP bid
Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) Edward Royce,
chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, expressed
support Thursday in Taipei for Taiwan’s bid to join a proposed
U.S.-led Pacific Rim trade bloc.
Participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will
further integrate Taiwan into the world economy, said Royce
said who is leading a U.S. congressional delegation on a
three-day visit to Taiwan.
“We want to make certain that Taiwan is included in that
partnership because we think that that is going to build
strength for Taiwan economically,” he said before a closeddoor meeting with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister David Lin.
Royce said he and his delegation are visiting Taipei “to be
supportive in terms of inclusion of Taiwan in that agreement”
and to look at ways of strengthening trade links between the
U.S. and Taiwan.
“We are here really to discuss what else we can do to deepen
this relationship in terms of trade and investment issues,”
Royce said.
The TPP currently is being negotiated by the U.S. and 11
Pacific Rim nations — Japan, Australia, Peru, Malaysia,
Vietnam, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and
Brunei.
Taiwan has repeatedly expressed its desire to join the trade
bloc to avoid economic marginalization and has set a goal of
completing its preparations for the bid by July.
Royce also told local reporters that he is planning to propose
a bill in the House of Representatives to mark the 35th
anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.
It is aimed at reaffirming the significance of the Act and the
importance of a deep, lasting Taiwan-U.S. relationship, he
said.
In response, Lin expressed gratitude to the delegation for its
support.
The Taiwan Relations Act plays an important role in
maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Lin
said.
The TRA, enacted in 1979 after the U.S. severed diplomatic
ties with Taiwan in favor of China, obligates the U.S. to help
Taiwan defend itself.
After meeting with the delegation, Lin told reporters he hopes
that members of the U.S. Congress will continue their efforts
to help with Taiwan’s TPP bid.
The congressmen were set to wrap up their visit to Taiwan
later in the day. It was part of a trip to East Asia, which
also took them to Japan and South Korea.
On Wednesday, the delegation visited the Tainan air base in
southern Taiwan, according to sources.
The fleet of locally developed indigenous defense fighter
(IDF) jets at the air base has recently been upgraded, with
improvements in the aircraft’s flight control, avionics and
radar systems.
Traveling with Royce are Joe Wilson and Madeleine Bordallo,
who are both on the House Armed Services Committee.
It is Royce’s second visit to Taiwan since he became chairman
of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in January 2013.
During a visit to Taiwan shortly after he took up that
position, he voiced support for Taiwan’s efforts to acquire
U.S.-made F-16C/D fighter jets and submarines to meet its
defense needs.
(By Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/pc
President voices Taiwan’s
intent to buy shale gas from
U.S.
Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) President Ma
Ying-jeou proposed Thursday to buy shale gas from the United
States to meet Taiwan’s energy needs.
If an agreement can be reached on the issue, it would be a
positive development for both sides and help reduce America’s
trade deficit with Taiwan, Ma told a U.S. Congressional
delegation led by Edward Royce, chairman of the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The production of shale gas, a type of natural gas trapped
within shale formations, has grown rapidly in the United
States in recent years due to improvements in drilling and
extraction methods.
Taipei has shown an interest in purchasing the gas from
America, but Washington reportedly has been unwilling to sell
to Taiwan because the two countries have not signed a free
trade agreement.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah said last year that the two sides were
still trying to figure out some way to strike a deal and
probably could eventually achieve a breakthrough on the
matter.
(By Kelven Huang and Y.F. Low)
ENDITEM/J
Chinese
budget
airline
planning more direct flights
to Taiwan
Taipei,
Feb.
19
(CNA)
Chinese
budget carrier Spring Airlines is planning to offer a direct
service between Shanghai in China and Hualien in eastern
Taiwan, its Taiwan branch manager said Wednesday.
Wang Shu-yu said the airline hopes to obtain the support of
the Hualien County government to operate direct charter
flights between Hualien Airport and Pudong Airport in
Shanghai.
Wang made the remarks while paying a call on Hualien County
Magistrate Fu Kun-chi.
In response, Fu said he welcomed the plan and suggested that
Spring Airlines offer package tours that would include visits
to the county’s top attractions.
Tours of five to seven days could incorporate visits to places
like Taroko Gorge, considered one of the most breathtaking
sites in Taiwan, and Chihsingtan Beach, he said.
Such a direct air service would generate more tourism revenue
for Hualien, Fu said.
Spring Airlines currently operates direct flights between
Shanghai and Taiwan’s two main international airports in
Taoyuan and Kaohsiung.
(By Lee Hsien-feng and Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/pc
Ma
affirms
results
of
minister’s historic visit to
China
Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) President Ma
Ying-jeou on Wednesday affirmed the results of a historic
visit to China by Taiwan’s top cross-strait policymaker, but
said there is still much to be done in exchanges with China.
Ma made his comments in his capacity as chairman of the
Kuomintang (KMT) at a meeting of the party’s Central Standing
Committee, referring to Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang
Yu-chi’s landmark visit to China last Tuesday.
Wang met with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Zhijun, minister
of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
The KMT chairman said the Wang-Zhang meeting was “a good start
that also lets the two sides increase mutual trust.”
He said that the unprecedented high-level visit represents the
point that “we begin gradually to face up further to the
reality in the Taiwan Strait and treat it in a positive
manner.”
Among the outstanding issues for Taiwan and China to tackle,
Ma listed systematizing humanitarian visits by officials to
detainees on each side, the opening of official representative
offices and further expansion of exchanges between the two
sides.
Reiterating his administration’s policy that the two sides
“neither recognize each other’s sovereignty nor deny each
other’s authority to govern,” Ma said that he believes that
maintaining this strategy will lead to better, stronger ties
between Taiwan and China.
(By Lee Shu-hua and Elizabeth Hsu)
Enditem/WH
Director Jia Zhangke to visit
Taiwan, no apparent travel
ban by China
Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) Chinese
filmmaker Jia Zhangke is scheduled to visit Taiwan in March,
months after the director’s absence from an awards ceremony in
Taipei spurred speculation that Chinese authorities were
preventing him from visit.
Jia and his actress wife Zhao Tao are set to visit in early
March, Joint Entertainment International Inc., the Taiwan
distributor of Jia’s film “A Touch of Sin,” announced
Wednesday.
The director is scheduled to give a talk at an event organized
by the Fubon Art Foundation on March 8. He will use the
opportunity to thank everyone for supporting “A Touch of Sin,”
the distributor said.
The company said the trip will make up for Jia’s inability to
attend the 50th Golden Horse Awards ceremony in November last
year, which it said was caused by schedule changes.
It did not touch on any interference from China.
“A Touch of Sin” garnered six nominations for the awards show,
including Best Feature Film and Best Director. The crime drama
picked up the Best Original Film Score and Best Film Editing
awards.
The director himself said “personal reasons” were behind his
short-notice cancellation ahead of the awards show. Many drew
a connection to the sensitive issue of social injustice that
is prevalent in “A Touch of Sin,”something that could have
rubbed Chinese authorities the wrong way.
Despite critical acclaim, the film has been seen by few
members of the public because it has not managed to hit
theaters on either side of the Taiwan Strait.
Based on real-life news stories that attracted wide attention,
it explores violence and corruption through the stories of
four working-class characters in different parts of China as
they are driven to violent ends in the face of injustice and
exploitation.
The film won Jia the best screenplay award at last year’s
Cannes Film Festival.
It was scheduled to hit theaters in China in November 2013,
but has yet to do so, raising questions of whether China’s
strong-handed film censors have banned it in the country.
A post on the China Digital Times in November claimed that the
Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China had
issued instructions to the media, asking them not to conduct
interviews, report, or comment on “A Touch of Sin.”
China Digital Times is a bilingual news website supported by
the Counter-Power Lab at the University of California,
Berkeley.
Jia started his career as an independent filmmaker, often
chronicling the lives of China’s poor and displaced and
delving into grim social realities brought about by rapid
economic development and globalization.
“A Touch of Sin” will be screened at the Eslite art house and
Spot Huashan cinema in Taipei beginning March 7. All 750
advance tickets were sold out within three hours, according to
the distributor.
Many fans have expressed hope for additional screenings, it
said, adding that the Ministry of Culture is currently
reviewing applications from several foundations, associations
and schools to screen the film.
If approved, the distributor expects to offer more screenings.
(By Christie Chen)
ENDITEM/WH
Asian Tigers a thing of the
past: development minister
Taipei, Feb. 19 (CNA) In a strongly
worded comment, National Development Council Minister Kuan
Chung-ming told a radio station Wednesday that there is no
such thing as the Four Asian Tigers anymore because Taiwan can
no longer generate the sort of growth that earned it a place
in the exclusive club.
Speaking on Taipei-based UFO Radio, the country’s chief
economic policy planner said that excessive restrictions and a
bent toward protectionism is keeping Taiwan’s economy behind
its three former counterparts: Hong Kong, Singapore and South
Korea.
“When the economy shot up rapidly in the 1980s, there was no
(government) intervention, and people had a lot of creativity
in doing business. But when the economy became mature, all
sorts of rules were put in place,” Kuan said, attributing the
sluggish economy to strict controls.
One such control is environmental concerns.
Kuan mentioned Taiwan’s decision to cancel a major
petrochemical plant in 2011, calling the incident a case of
economic development yielding to environmentalism.
A petrochemical industrial chain could generate revenues of
over NT$1 trillion (US$33 billion), he said, noting that even
a small country like Singapore has a petrochemical industry.
He praised the city-state’s high environmental standards and
quick, transparent approval process.
Despite the comparison, Kuan said that it does not make sense
anymore to look at Taiwan in the context of the Four Asian
Tigers, as Singapore’s per capita income is now double
Taiwan’s, South Korea has grown to be one of the G-20 major
economies, and Hong Kong is flying high on the back of China.
“Taiwan must be able to see the straits it is in now,” Kuan
said, suggesting Taiwan should not linger on past glory but
try instead to keep up with global currents.
He shifted his focus to economic agreements, which Taiwan has
been striving to sign with trade partners in recent years.
Speaking on Taiwan’s bid to join the under-negotiation TransPacific Partnership (TPP), Kuan anticipated the country will
have a chance this year to join the second round of TPP
negotiations.
However, he admitted that Taiwan needs the support of key
players in the free trade bloc. Taiwan must also demonstrate
its determination in opening markets, Kuan said.
(By Lin Hui-chun and Elizabeth Hsu)
Enditem/WH
KMT honorary chairman calls
for
respect
existence
for
ROC’s
Beijing, Feb. 18 (CNA) Lien Chan,
an honorary chairman of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang (KMT),
urged the leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in a
meeting Tuesday that the reality of the existence of the
Republic of China should be faced by all.
“People should look at the ROC squarely. Face it, not ignore
it,” Lien was quoted as saying by his office’s spokesman, Ting
Yuan-chao.
Ting said Lien made the remarks while talking about a “one
China” framework, which Beijing advocates for handling crossTaiwan Strait relations, in his closed-door meeting with Xi
Jinping, general secretary of the CPC and also China’s
president.
Citing Lien, Ting said the ROC is an “asset” rather than a
“liability” in the development of cross-strait ties.
Under this premise, “we must face the reality in a pragmatic
manner. Only with consensus can the two sides work to solidify
peace during their exchanges and promote development through
cooperation,” Lien was quoted as saying.
During the meeting, Xi reportedly said that Taiwan and China
belong to “one country,” that the people of Taiwan and China
are of the “same race” and that based on such a reality, he
will respect the Taiwanese people’s choice of their social
system and way of life.
“We treat our Taiwanese compatriots equally and welcome
whoever is willing to promote the peaceful development of
cross-strait relations, irrespective of their previous
political positions,” he said, referring to those who call for
Taiwan independence.
Xi said he believes the Chinese people, including those in
Taiwan, have the wisdom to find a key to solve the knotty
issue of the political differences between the two sides of
the strait.
Lien and his delegation of more than 80 people, mostly from
Taiwan’s private sector, arrived in Beijing a day earlier,
where they were greeted at a reception hosted by Zhang Zhijun,
head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
The delegation is scheduled to return to Taiwan Thursday.
(By Lawrence Chiu, S.C. Chang and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/J
Taoyuan airport runway to
allow A380 jets early next
year
Taipei,
Feb.
18
(CNA)
Taiwan
Taoyuan International Airport’s south runway will be closed
Wednesday for an overhaul expected to take nearly one year
until early 2015, after which it is expected to be able to
accommodate A380 wide-bodied jets, Taoyuan Airport Corp.
President Fei Hourng-jiun said Tuesday.
Fei said that two of the airport’s runways are now over 30
years old, dilapidated and unable to provide smooth and
comfortable landings for aircraft.
The two runways will be overhauled in turn, with the south
runway overhaul set to run Feb. 19, 2014-Jan. 15, 2015. It
will also be expanded and extended.
The overhaul of the north runway will start after the Lunar
New Year holiday next year and is expected to be completed by
the end of 2015.
He also noted that the number of passengers using the airport
has grown rapidly and said that construction of a third runway
will be brought forward by one decade, so that it will begin
operating in 2020 rather than the originally planned 2030.
He noted that the volume of passengers at the airport broke 30
million last year, a growth of nearly 11 percent year-on-year.
Judging from the growth, the volume will surpass 40 million in
less than four years.
He said that when planning the third runway, the authorities
had envisioned passenger growth of around 3 percent annually,
but the actual growth has been greater than expected.
The existing two runways will soon no longer be able to
accommodate the demand, making it essential for construction
of the third runway to be stepped up, the airport authorities
said.
According to the latest goal set by the airport, the third
terminal and third runway will start construction in 2016.
(By Wang Shu-fen and Lilian Wu)
ENDITEM/J
Participation of the Republic
of China (Taiwan) in the
Brussels
International
Holiday Fair
Taiwan, one of Asia’s economic miracles and a world leader in
ICT and related industries, exports millions of products and
services to every corner of the globe annually. The label
‘Made in Taiwan’ has become synonymous with quality high-end
goods as unprecedented economic growth has transformed the
island nation into a global innovation centre, a regional
economic and trade hub, and an operations centre for overseasbased businesses. While it is increasingly viewed as a modern
hi-tech economy, Taiwan also has much to offer the tourist:
natural beauty, modern cities, delicious food, vibrant art and
cultural scenes.
There are eight hugely diverse but equally idyllic national
parks in Taiwan, all boasting breathtaking world-famous
scenery. The island also supports tens of thousands of animal
and plant species, making it one of the richest biological
treasure troves anywhere in the world.
Visitors to the Taiwan booth could have their names inked in Chinese
calligraphy for free to take home as a souvenir.
Taiwan’s tourism industry embraced ecotourism and embarked on
an ambitious plan to become a ‘green jewel’ for Asia. The
Taiwan Tourism Bureau has introduced the concept of the ‘Ecobag’ which helps visitors to meet the goal of carbon reduction
and energy saving. Our national parks were given natural
heritage status protection and today Taiwan boasts one of the
world’s highest recycling rates, an efficient waste management
system and a wide range of wildlife refuges and national parks
that help to attract millions of nature tourists
annually.Whether exploring vibrant Taipei or observing the
thousands of migratory birds that make the west coast of
Taiwan their temporary home each year, Taiwan offers
travellers a unique and unparalleled eco-experience.
Opportunity was given to visitors to sample Taiwan’s traditional high
mountain tea while witnessing a tea-ceremony
Many tourists are naturally drawn to the capital, Taipei. As
Taiwan’s biggest and most energetic city, Taipei has
transformed itself into a modern international metropolis in
recent years. It also boasts the wonderful National Palace
Museum which exhibits a large collection of Asian art
including bronzes, jades, paintings, porcelains, lacquer ware,
textiles and religious artifacts.
Beyond the nation’s capital, there are many other equally
beautiful places to visit in Taiwan. Tainan, the historical
city in the southern part of the country is very popular and
contains many must-see sites. Kaohsiung, the second biggest
city, is also one you cannot miss. It has been praised by CNN
for its diverse offer of cultural, artistic, gastronomic and
trendy hotspots. Penghu, off the west coast, is known as the
‘small Hawaii’ of Taiwan because of its beautiful beaches.
Home to many ethnic groups and traditions, Taiwan has an
abundance of different international, regional and local
cuisines – new and unexpected tastes await your senses. There
are very few places in the world today where you can find more
authentic Chinese food as well as an extensive array of
international dishes.
Tasting of the award winning Kavalan Whisky from Taiwan
Although great food, scenery and hospitality are what often
attract tourists to Taiwan, medical tourism, cycling
vacations, cultural and creative industry tourism are also
worthy of exploration.
The number of foreign visitors has increased annually by 1
million since 2008. In 2013, the total number of travelers who
had visited Taiwan reached a record-high 8 million. This
figure shows the attraction of Taiwan. Taiwan hopes that there
will be 9 million visitors in 2014.
Taiwan
named
top
travel
destination by The New York
Times and CNN
Taiwan’s “brand image” has been greatly boosted by a New York
Times listing published on 10 January 2014, ranking the
country 11th on a list of “52 Places to Go in 2014”.
Chairwoman of the Taiwan Visitor Association Janice Lai, who
headed the Taiwan Tourism Bureau between 2006 and 2012, called
the ranking “an encouragement for both official and private”
sectors and praised it as a push for Taiwan’s “Heart of Asia”
campaign. She attributed Taiwan’s inclusion in the influential
paper’s annual selection to an increasing awareness of the
country among North and South Americans and Europeans, who –
she said – used to confuse Taiwan with Thailand .
In general, the Tourism Bureau noted more interest among
outdoor enthusiasts from Europe and the Americas, including
bird-watchers, travelers to Buddhist temples like Fo Guang
Shan Monastery and Dharma Drum Mountain, and hikers heading
for the scenic Sun Moon Lake and Taroko National Park. Taiwan
welcomed some 450,000 travelers from the Americas and 200,000
from Europe in the first 11 months of 2013, most of whom
traveled independent of tour groups.
The New York Times published its annual list of top
destinations, picking Taiwan as no. 11 on a list of 52 for the
country’s suitability for “urban and outdoor pursuits in one
(reasonably) compact package.” South Africa’s Cape Town, New
Zealand’s Christchurch and the northern coastal areas of
California headed the list.
CNN Go, the online travel magazine of the CNN Network, also
made a travel report on the port city of Kaohsiung in Southern
Taiwan in January 2014, praising the city for its big and
diverse offer of cultural, artistic, gastronomic and trendy
hotspots. Among the 10 reasons CNN listed to love this city
are its gourmet food, the art you find all around the city and
the great sights. CNN Go also highly recommended its readers
and viewers to explore the rest of Taiwan.
Read the original press coverage:
The
New
York
Times
(http://www.nytimes.com/travel/guides/asia/taiwan/overview.htm
l)
CNN Travel (http://travel.cnn.com/kaohsiung)
Taiwan
Central
News
Agency
(http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aedu/201401110029.aspx)
Discover more about Taiwan as a travel destination:
Taiwan Tourism Bureau (http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/)