Police arrested a member of Greenpeace yesterday as the environmental organization launched its first ever protest in Taiwan, trying to stop a tuna carrier from leaving port, the group said.
Tipsuda Atichakaro, a Thai citizen, climbed onto an anchor cable dangling from the Lung Yuin, a refrigerated tuna transporter, shortly before it was to leave Greater Kaohsiung, Greenpeace said.
She took turns with another activist chaining herself to the cable, sparking a three-hour standoff with police, which ended when officers arrested her on charges of endangering public safety. The other protester was not detained.
“She will be transferred to prosecutors,” an officer with the Greater Kaohsiung harbor police said.
The Lung Yuin, a 3,431 tonne Taiwanese-owned vessel registered in Vanuatu and used to store and transport tuna catch, has “a history of involvement in illegal fishing operations,” Greenpeace said.
“Reefers like the Lung Yuin facilitate the large-scale tuna plunder of the Pacific region,” Greenpeace East Asia Oceans campaigner Kao Yu-fen (高于棻) said. “It should not be allowed to use Taiwanese ports unless it can at least comply to simple requirements that it register its operations with Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency.”
Greenpeace demanded Taiwanese authorities immediately investigate what it referred to as the vessel’s “illegal practices.”
The ship’s owner, Wang Shung-lung (王順隆), denied the accusations, saying the vessel was registered with international bodies, such as the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, which manages the tuna resources in the Eastern Pacific region.
“We also reported to the Fisheries Agency in advance of the scheduled journey to Fiji this time,” he said.
Wang, whose family operates the ship along with 12 other tuna fishing vessels, was unhappy with the methods chosen by the Greenpeace activists.
“I respect their appeal calling for preserving marine reserves. Would that be good to me if the fish resources became depleted?” he said.
“But they shouldn’t take such irrational action. It isn’t helpful for their cause at all,” he added.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
RSS