The US should honor its commitment in providing Taiwan the necessary capability to defend itself, Representative Shelley Berkley, co-chairperson of the US House of Representatives’ Taiwan Caucus, said yesterday in Taipei.
“I believe the US must honor its commitment to Taiwan, a very reliable ally and democracy. The commitment regarding arms sales must be honored both by the former and the new administration,” she said.
Recent reports from Washington speculated that Beijing could try to strong arm US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit China, which begins on Friday, to negotiate for a freer hand with Tibet and Taiwan in exchange for a pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Berkley said Clinton would never be bullied into anything.
Berkley was named as co-chairperson of the 147-member Taiwan Caucus, an informal congressional organization comprised of lawmakers with an interest in boosting Taiwan-US relations, in January 2007.
The Nevada Democrat is in Taiwan at the invitation of Fu Jen Catholic University to participate in events marking the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), a US law that is the backbone of US-Taiwan relations.
Berkley plans to propose a House resolution to commemorate the TRA’s anniversary.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) met Berkley yesterday morning and urged the US government to follow the British government’s recent move to include Taiwan in its visa-waiver program.
Extending such privileges to Taiwan would boost tourism to the US, the persident said, noting that Japan saw an increase of Taiwanese tourists after it granted Taiwanese a 90-day visa free privilege two years ago.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have
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