SOCIETY
Overstayer program unveiled
A forgiveness program has been introduced to help foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas to leave Taiwan easily and quickly, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said on Wednesday. The measure encourages foreign nationals who have overstayed their visa to report to NIA offices across the country by June 30. As long as a minimum fine of NT$2,000 is paid before boarding an expedited flight out the country, such people would be allowed to leave without being placed in a detention center, it said. Draft amendments have been referred to the legislature with a goal of discouraging foreigners from illegally overstaying in Taiwan, the NIA said. The proposed amendments would increase fines for overstaying foreign nationals to NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 from NT$2,000 to NT$10,000, with a ban on offenders returning to Taiwan extended from three years to 10.
DIPLOMACY
You Si-kun meets Moriarty
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫?), who has just concluded a three-day visit to the US, on Thursday said that he met with American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman James Moriarty on Wednesday. US government officials handling labor, human rights and environmental issues were also at the meeting with Moriarty, You said, but he did not elaborate on what was discussed. On Thursday, he traveled to New York to meet with Taiwanese expatriate groups before departing for Taiwan in the evening. Earlier in the trip, he attended the National Prayer Breakfast, at which US President Joe Biden addressed more than 400 members of the US Congress, other US government officials and foreign guests.
CRIME
Mother sentenced for killing
A woman was sentenced to 11 years and 10 months in prison for killing her two-year-old daughter prior to attempting suicide, the Supreme Court said on Thursday in a final verdict that upheld a High Court ruling. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), had attempted to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills before burning charcoal in a closed room where her daughter had fallen asleep after being fed strawberry jam laced with sleeping pills on April 11, 2021, the Shilin District Court said. The Shilin court said that Chen — who it determined has a long-term psychiatric disorder — had decided she would rather have her daughter die with her than be taken by the girl’s father. Her daughter died due to inhalation of excessive carbon monoxide from the burning charcoal, it said. In March last year, the Shilin District Court sentenced Chen to 12 years in jail for the intentional killing of a child. The case was heard again in August last year at the High Court, which shortened the sentence to 11 years and 10 months after Chen expressed remorse.
HEALTH
COVID-19 deaths top 100
Taiwan yesterday reported 105 deaths attributable to COVID-19, the first time since the middle of July last year that the single-day death toll exceeded 100, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) data showed. The CECC attributed the surge to a buildup of cases during the Lunar New Year holiday, during which many medical institutions were closed. It said that the daily number of deaths would likely decrease starting today. The deceased reported yesterday ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s. All but five had underlying health issues, while 47 had not been vaccinated against the disease, the CECC said.
CAUTION: Based on intelligence from the nation’s security agencies, MOFA has cautioned Taiwanese travelers about heightened safety risks in China-friendly countries The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Taiwanese to be aware of their safety when traveling abroad, especially in countries that are friendly to China. China in June last year issued 22 guidelines that allow its courts to try in absentia and sentence to death so-called “diehard” Taiwanese independence activists, even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan. Late last month, a senior Chinese official gave closed-door instructions to state security units to implement the guidelines in countries friendly to China, a government memo and a senior Taiwan security official said, based on information gathered by Taiwan’s intelligence agency. The
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said yesterday that it is looking to hire 8,000 people this year, at a time when the tech giant is expanding production capacity to maintain its lead over competitors. To attract talent, TSMC would launch a large-scale recruitment campaign on campuses across Taiwan, where a newly recruited engineer with a master’s degree could expect to receive an average salary of NT$2.2 million (US$60,912), which is much higher than the 2023 national average of NT$709,000 for those in the same category, according to government statistics. TSMC, which accounted for more than 60 percent
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
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