Thu, Feb 16, 2006 page3

• Taiwan Quick Take

  • STAFF WRITER WITH AGENCIES
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  ■ Politics
  Former premier dies at 93

  Former premier Sun Yun-suan (孫運璿), hailed as the architect of Taiwan's dynamic economic growth since the 1980s, died of heart failure yesterday. He was 93. A senior adviser to the president, Sun was hospitalized for heart and lung complications last month and died early yesterday at the Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, his doctors said. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) sent condolences to Sun's family and hailed him as the "creator" of Taiwan's "economic miracle." Born in China, Sun arrived in Taiwan in 1945 and was assigned by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime to rebuild the nation's power supply system. The nation's per capita GNP was US$320 when Sun, an engineer by training, became economic minister in 1969. By the time he stepped down from the premiership in 1984, per capita GNP had risen to US$3,000. Sun is also remembered for his decision to set up a government-funded industrial research institute and develop the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park. He is survived by his wife and four children.

  ■ Foreign affairs

  Diplomat suspected of graft

  The Taiwanese representative to New Zealand has been accused of corruption and forgery by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to a statement released last night. Victor Chin (秦日新), a veteran diplomat, has been accused of forging receipts in relation to expenses incurred in the performance of his duties as the director of the ministry's North American Affairs Department. A section chief of the department is also suspected of involvement. The case has been forwarded to the Taipei City branch office of the Bureau of Investigation for possible criminal charges. Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) said that ministry personnel must uphold the highest possible ethical standards in the performance of their duties. Huang also reminded ministry officials that they are not allowed to accept gifts while in office.

  ■ Diplomacy

  Don't say `Taiwan': Vietnam

  Vietnam's deputy foreign minister warned local reporters yesterday to avoid offending China by not using the name Taiwan when Vietnam hosts the APEC meeting later this year. Le Cong Phung also urged the press not to uses words like "country" or "nation" to describe any member of the group, instead using the agreed-on euphemism "member economies." "The official name for Taiwan in APEC is `Chinese Taipei' and the official name for Hong Kong is `Hong Kong-China,'" Phung said. "At the previous summit in the Republic of Korea, the host country had to abolish about 80,000 booklets, since in those booklets there was a mistake in referring to the APEC economies as `countries' or 'nations' and that was rejected very strongly by China," Phung said.

  ■ Politics

  DPP forms poll task force

  The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday established a seven-member task force to handle nominations for the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections. The task force will also serve as a campaign team. DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun will lead the task force, which has been set the goal of defending Kaohsiung and winning Taipei. Yu said that the candidates will be determined by a primary that will include a public poll and a vote among party members. Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) announced yesterday that he will take part in his party's primary in May to vie for its nomination for the Taipei mayoral election.
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