■ POLITICS
DPP to hold fundraiser
The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taipei branch announced on Saturday it would initiate a fundraising event next month to rekindle supporters’ faith and passion for the party, while urging the government to claim the nation’s sovereignty during the Olympic games. The DPP would seek to rediscover its grassroots spirit and attract public support by holding the event, Huang Chin-lin (黃慶林), director of the DPP’s Taipei branch, said yesterday during a press conference at Pinchiang Market. As a political party that grew from street protests, the DPP has been counting on supporters, rather than party assets, to help with the party’s finances, he said. The fundraiser will be held on Sept. 19 at the Pinchiang Market. Visit the branch’s official Web site at www.tpdpp.org.tw/webtpdpp for more information.
■ DIPLOMACY
Sa to replace Parris Chang
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that former assistant representative to France Sa Chih-yuan (薩支遠) has been appointed to serve as the new representative to Bahrain, replacing former representative Parris Chang (張旭成), who was removed from the post earlier this month after he was discovered to have a US green card in June. Sa, a senior diplomat, has previously served as the representative to Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) and assistant representative to Belgium.
■ POLITICS
Minister defends cake ad
Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) defended himself yesterday after a report in the Chinese-language Apple Daily said he had made a 30-second commercial costing NT$1.5 million (US$45,000) to promote the sale of moon cakes for the benefit of disadvantaged groups. The report said the money could have bought 3,000 to 4,000 boxes of moon cakes. Liao said yesterday that figure was the total sum for the whole project, and included the cost of a press conference, printed advertising, telephone information service and distribution. Liao said the cost for the 30-second ad was NT$500,000. Liao said he was concerned that the sale of moon cakes for disadvantaged groups were not good, and added that the NT$500,000 spent on the ad was equivalent to selling 3,000 boxes of moon cakes at the most. Liao said he hoped the media attention would result in the public buying more moon cakes to show their concern for disadvantaged groups.
■ CROSS-STRAIT
Bush, Hu hold talks
Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and US President George W Bush held formal talks on Taiwan and other issues yesterday, after Bush appealed for greater religious freedom during a church visit earlier in the day. Chinese state media quoted Hu as telling Bush that China remained opposed to formal independence for Taiwan and urged the US to “properly handle the Taiwan issue to support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.” “No matter what kind of changes take place in the cross-strait relations, our stance of adhering to the “one China” principle and opposing ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist activities will never change, and cannot be changed,” the Xinhua news agency quoted Hu as saying. Bush was quoted as saying that the US was happy to see the recent improvement in cross-strait relations. Hu said China would continue to “push for the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait.”
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This