Cheap instant &quot;bubble tea&quot; has become one of Taiwan&#39;s best-known culinary exports and a new wave of entrepreneurs hopes a high-end modern take on traditional brews will also be sipped worldwide. 
 
Taiwan has been producing tea for more than 200 years and a cup of the island&#39;s famous oolong is obligatory for many visitors, but exports have been knocked by rising labour costs and bubble tea has eclipsed a carefully crafted cuppa. 
 
Often artificially flavoured and loaded with milk, sugar and tapioca pearls, bubble tea has in recent years gained a global following, from Southeast Asia to the United States and Europe.&nbsp;Ultra-modern tea shop &quot;Xie Xie&quot; is one business trying to turn the tide back to sophistication. 
 
Founder Xie Yu-tung, 30, comes from a family of tea producers and uses leaves grown on their plantations in Taiwan&#39;s mountainous Dayuling and Lishan areas.&nbsp;Her sleek all-white tea boutique at Taipei&#39;s Mandarin Oriental hotel is stacked with teabags in book-like boxes and clear cylindrical bottles of ready-to-drink cold brews. 
 
&quot;I think Taiwan has the best oolong and it&#39;s a pity that it&#39;s not seen all over the world,&quot; says Xie. 
 
She sells pure and flavoured oolong - a fragrant, semi-fermented tea.&nbsp;Infused with spearmint, chamomile, rose and ginger, she hopes the pretty packaging and ready-made bottles will attract uninitiated foreign customers.&nbsp;At $21 for 10 teabags, she says it is a reasonable price for top tea. 
 
&quot;Every step (in producing oolong) has to be exact. I think the craftsmanship involved matches that of international luxury products,&quot; she says. 
 
Xie has served up her tea at the Venice film festival, Paris fashion shows and Milan design week since launching two years ago. 
 
 
&#39;Cafe culture to entice younger generation&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Other entrepreneurs are hoping to create a cafe culture that will entice younger generations. 
 
At David Huang&#39;s salons in Taipei, customers order pots of organic Taiwan-grown tea served up alongside tea-flavoured French pastries. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t want to see tea-drinking fade into history because young people think it&#39;s old-fashioned,&quot; says Huang, who opened the salons after studying marketing in France.&nbsp;&quot;It is one of the things that most represents Taiwan.&quot; 
 
Huang&#39;s &quot;Zenique&quot; brand of pure and flavoured oolong, green and black teas do not come cheap - a small tin starts at Tw$409 and can cost up to Tw$1,890.&nbsp;Huang says it is a price worth paying for a high-quality product and he counts seasoned tea drinkers among his regular customers. 
 
First-time salon visitor Anne Yu, 30, says she likes the &quot;chic and tasteful&quot; feel to the place. 
 
&quot;I started to drink more tea recently after I got palpitations from drinking coffee,&quot; she said, between mouthfuls of green tea and almond cake topped with a macaron, washed down with osmanthus oolong tea.&nbsp;&quot;I like tea better now.&quot; 
 
Fashion statement 
 
While industry experts say the average age of tea drinkers in Taiwan is rising, entrepreneurs like Xie and Huang are giving the business a fresh edge. 
 
&quot;To some young people now, running a tea company is attractive and trendy, it&#39;s like being the owner of a French vineyard,&quot; said Lin Chih-Cheng, president of the Association of Taiwan Tea.&nbsp;&quot;They feel like they are part of a creative, cultural industry.&quot; 
 
Both Huang and Xie have regular international clients and are hoping to expand the list.&nbsp;However, there are still those who argue that no-frills is best. 
 
At tea store Lin Hua Tai, leaves are still processed in a factory at the back of the shop, using traditional methods unchanged for the decades it has been in business.&nbsp;Standing in Taipei&#39;s once-bustling &quot;tea street&quot; it is one of only a few tea stores to remain. 
 
The shop buys raw tea from plantations across Taiwan and sells 100 types, from basic brews to the pricey &quot;Oriental Beauty&quot; oolong, which can go for more than Tw$4,000 per 600 grams.&nbsp;Tea leaves are stored in stainless steel barrels and packaged in plastic bags printed simply with the store&#39;s name and contact details. 
 
The shop says its loyal clientele has been won purely by word of mouth. 
 
While it is dedicated to maintaining traditions, Lin Hua Tai is also trying to inspire younger generations by giving store tours and tea tastings to students. 
 
&quot;Children drink bubble tea, but they don&#39;t know what oolong looks like, or that there are many more types of tea. When they get interested, they will grow up drinking more tea,&quot; says shop manager Joanne Kang. 
 
Kang said it would be easy to transform into a &quot;pretty store&quot;, and recognises the shop now faces trendier competition. 
 
&quot;But then everything would change and we would not be who we are,&quot; she says. 
 
(AFP)

Often artificially flavoured and loaded with milk, sugar and tapioca pearls, bubble tea has in recent years gained a global following

Cheap instant "bubble tea" has become one of Taiwan's best-known culinary exports and a new wave of entrepreneurs hopes a high-end modern take on traditional brews will also be sipped worldwide. Taiwan has been producing tea for more than 200 years and a cup of the island's famous oolong is obligatory for many visitors, but exports have been knocked by rising labour costs and bubble tea has eclipsed a carefully crafted cuppa. Often artificially flavoured and loaded with milk, sugar and tapioca pearls, bubble tea has in recent years gained a global following, from Southeast Asia to the United States and Europe. Ultra-modern tea shop "Xie Xie" is one business trying to turn the tide back to sophistication. Founder Xie Yu-tung, 30, comes from a family of tea producers and uses leaves grown on their plantations in Taiwan's mountainous Dayuling and Lishan areas. Her sleek all-white tea boutique at Taipei's Mandarin Oriental hotel is stacked with teabags in book-like boxes and clear cylindrical bottles of ready-to-drink cold brews. "I think Taiwan has the best oolong and it's a pity that it's not seen all over the world," says Xie. She sells pure and flavoured oolong - a fragrant, semi-fermented tea. Infused with spearmint, chamomile, rose and ginger, she hopes the pretty packaging and ready-made bottles will attract uninitiated foreign customers. At $21 for 10 teabags, she says it is a reasonable price for top tea. "Every step (in producing oolong) has to be exact. I think the craftsmanship involved matches that of international luxury products," she says. Xie has served up her tea at the Venice film festival, Paris fashion shows and Milan design week since launching two years ago. 'Cafe culture to entice younger generation' Other entrepreneurs are hoping to create a cafe culture that will entice younger generations. At David Huang's salons in Taipei, customers order pots of organic Taiwan-grown tea served up alongside tea-flavoured French pastries. "I don't want to see tea-drinking fade into history because young people think it's old-fashioned," says Huang, who opened the salons after studying marketing in France. "It is one of the things that most represents Taiwan." Huang's "Zenique" brand of pure and flavoured oolong, green and black teas do not come cheap - a small tin starts at Tw$409 and can cost up to Tw$1,890. Huang says it is a price worth paying for a high-quality product and he counts seasoned tea drinkers among his regular customers. First-time salon visitor Anne Yu, 30, says she likes the "chic and tasteful" feel to the place. "I started to drink more tea recently after I got palpitations from drinking coffee," she said, between mouthfuls of green tea and almond cake topped with a macaron, washed down with osmanthus oolong tea. "I like tea better now." Fashion statement While industry experts say the average age of tea drinkers in Taiwan is rising, entrepreneurs like Xie and Huang are giving the business a fresh edge. "To some young people now, running a tea company is attractive and trendy, it's like being the owner of a French vineyard," said Lin Chih-Cheng, president of the Association of Taiwan Tea. "They feel like they are part of a creative, cultural industry." Both Huang and Xie have regular international clients and are hoping to expand the list. However, there are still those who argue that no-frills is best. At tea store Lin Hua Tai, leaves are still processed in a factory at the back of the shop, using traditional methods unchanged for the decades it has been in business. Standing in Taipei's once-bustling "tea street" it is one of only a few tea stores to remain. The shop buys raw tea from plantations across Taiwan and sells 100 types, from basic brews to the pricey "Oriental Beauty" oolong, which can go for more than Tw$4,000 per 600 grams. Tea leaves are stored in stainless steel barrels and packaged in plastic bags printed simply with the store's name and contact details. The shop says its loyal clientele has been won purely by word of mouth. While it is dedicated to maintaining traditions, Lin Hua Tai is also trying to inspire younger generations by giving store tours and tea tastings to students. "Children drink bubble tea, but they don't know what oolong looks like, or that there are many more types of tea. When they get interested, they will grow up drinking more tea," says shop manager Joanne Kang. Kang said it would be easy to transform into a "pretty store", and recognises the shop now faces trendier competition. "But then everything would change and we would not be who we are," she says. (AFP)

Taiwan tea entrepreneurs brew up new twist on tradition

Taiwan&#39;s Investment Commission said today it is set to order Uber Technologies Inc to exit the domestic market, saying the global ride-hailing giant misrepresented its business as an internet-based information technology platform, rather than a transportation service. 
 
Emile Chang, executive secretary at Taiwan&#39;s Investment Commission, said a final decision will be made by August 11. The commission oversees Taiwan&#39;s inbound and outbound foreign investments. 
 
The move comes amid a major strategic shift at Uber that will see its operations in China taken over by a mainland firm. Earlier this week, Uber said it was selling its China business to rival Didi Chuxing after a bruising two-year price war in a challenging market. 
 
Taiwan&#39;s decision adds to a string of official complaints aimed at the fast-growing US start-up. It has faced similar legal scrutiny in markets across Asia, including both in Hong Kong and China. 
 
&quot;Taiwan&#39;s government has communicated many times with Uber...The worst scenario is to order (it) to leave the market,&quot; Chang said, adding Uber can appeal the decision to Taiwan&#39;s cabinet. 
 
Uber officials in Taiwan could not be immediately reached for comment. 
 
The company entered the Taiwan market in 2013, triggering anger from domestic taxi drivers, who staged a massive protest against Uber as recently as July. 
 
(Reuters)

Taiwan's decision adds to a string of official complaints aimed at the fast-growing US start-up

Taiwan's Investment Commission said today it is set to order Uber Technologies Inc to exit the domestic market, saying the global ride-hailing giant misrepresented its business as an internet-based information technology platform, rather than a transportation service. Emile Chang, executive secretary at Taiwan's Investment Commission, said a final decision will be made by August 11. The commission oversees Taiwan's inbound and outbound foreign investments. The move comes amid a major strategic shift at Uber that will see its operations in China taken over by a mainland firm. Earlier this week, Uber said it was selling its China business to rival Didi Chuxing after a bruising two-year price war in a challenging market. Taiwan's decision adds to a string of official complaints aimed at the fast-growing US start-up. It has faced similar legal scrutiny in markets across Asia, including both in Hong Kong and China. "Taiwan's government has communicated many times with Uber...The worst scenario is to order (it) to leave the market," Chang said, adding Uber can appeal the decision to Taiwan's cabinet. Uber officials in Taiwan could not be immediately reached for comment. The company entered the Taiwan market in 2013, triggering anger from domestic taxi drivers, who staged a massive protest against Uber as recently as July. (Reuters)

Taiwan set to order Uber's exit from market after accusing it of 'misrepresenting' business

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen formally apologised to Taiwan&#39;s indigenous people for their centuries of suffering today, the country&#39;s first ever leader to do so.&nbsp;Tsai, the island&#39;s only leader with aboriginal blood, will personally head a committee to investigate past injustices as part of government efforts to ease tensions with the native community. 
 
&quot;I apologise to the indigenous people on behalf of the government, to give our deepest apology over the suffering and injustice you endured over the past 400 years,&quot; she said in speech. 
 
&quot;We need to look at history seriously and speak out the truth,&quot; she said, adding that apologising was &quot;another step forward&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Hundreds of aboriginals staged protests outside the presidential office in Taipei over the weekend, calling for protection of their hunting rights and demanding concrete actions from the government. 
 
The indigenous community -- which makes up about two per cent of Taiwan&#39;s 23.5 million people -- have seen their traditional culture eroded since immigrants started arriving from China centuries ago.&nbsp;Much of their land is now designated national park, leading to clashes over hunting, fishing and foraging in areas where permits are needed. 
 
Today, they are still a marginalised group, with wages about 40 per cent less than the national average, as well as a higher rate of unemployment.&nbsp;Tsai pledged to increase autonomy and rights for indigenous people during her election campaign, which saw her Democratic Progressive Party win a landslide victory in January.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier today, tribe members invited to witness Tsai&#39;s speech burned millet stalks in front of the presidential office as part of a ceremony calling out to ancestral spirits to join them.&nbsp; 
 
She then greeted the representatives from each of the 16 recognised tribes, who wore their traditional tribal clothing.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

'I apologise to the indigenous people for the suffering and injustice you endured over the past 400 years' said the Taiwan President

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen formally apologised to Taiwan's indigenous people for their centuries of suffering today, the country's first ever leader to do so. Tsai, the island's only leader with aboriginal blood, will personally head a committee to investigate past injustices as part of government efforts to ease tensions with the native community. "I apologise to the indigenous people on behalf of the government, to give our deepest apology over the suffering and injustice you endured over the past 400 years," she said in speech. "We need to look at history seriously and speak out the truth," she said, adding that apologising was "another step forward". Hundreds of aboriginals staged protests outside the presidential office in Taipei over the weekend, calling for protection of their hunting rights and demanding concrete actions from the government. The indigenous community -- which makes up about two per cent of Taiwan's 23.5 million people -- have seen their traditional culture eroded since immigrants started arriving from China centuries ago. Much of their land is now designated national park, leading to clashes over hunting, fishing and foraging in areas where permits are needed. Today, they are still a marginalised group, with wages about 40 per cent less than the national average, as well as a higher rate of unemployment. Tsai pledged to increase autonomy and rights for indigenous people during her election campaign, which saw her Democratic Progressive Party win a landslide victory in January. Earlier today, tribe members invited to witness Tsai's speech burned millet stalks in front of the presidential office as part of a ceremony calling out to ancestral spirits to join them. She then greeted the representatives from each of the 16 recognised tribes, who wore their traditional tribal clothing. (AFP)

Taiwan apologises to indigenous people for first time

Around 120 Taiwanese nationals have been arrested in Greece for suspected telecom crimes, Taipei officials said today, the latest such arrests abroad. 
 
They were caught in the suburbs of Athens Thursday, along with some Greeks, when local police thwarted a telecom gambling crime ring, Taiwan&#39;s foreign ministry said. 
 
The ministry said police have declined to disclose specifics of the alleged crimes or any personal information regarding the suspects, citing confidentiality of an ongoing investigation. 
 
No Chinese nationals were implicated in the case, it said. 
 
The Taiwanese are being held in Greek police headquarters pending the investigation. 
 
&quot;We are monitoring the situation closely ... if the Greek side decides to deport the suspects, we will do our best to ensure they are sent back to our country to face trial,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. 
 
Taipei was furious over deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects from Kenya, Malaysia and Cambodia to China. It accused Beijing of &quot;abducting&quot; its citizens from countries that do not recognise the island&#39;s government. 
 
Relations between Taiwan and China have grown frosty since Tsai Ing-wen and her pro-independence party came to power in May. 
 
China insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

The ministry said police have declined to disclose specifics of alleged crimes or any personal information regarding the suspects

Around 120 Taiwanese nationals have been arrested in Greece for suspected telecom crimes, Taipei officials said today, the latest such arrests abroad. They were caught in the suburbs of Athens Thursday, along with some Greeks, when local police thwarted a telecom gambling crime ring, Taiwan's foreign ministry said. The ministry said police have declined to disclose specifics of the alleged crimes or any personal information regarding the suspects, citing confidentiality of an ongoing investigation. No Chinese nationals were implicated in the case, it said. The Taiwanese are being held in Greek police headquarters pending the investigation. "We are monitoring the situation closely ... if the Greek side decides to deport the suspects, we will do our best to ensure they are sent back to our country to face trial," the ministry said in a statement. Taipei was furious over deportations of Taiwanese fraud suspects from Kenya, Malaysia and Cambodia to China. It accused Beijing of "abducting" its citizens from countries that do not recognise the island's government. Relations between Taiwan and China have grown frosty since Tsai Ing-wen and her pro-independence party came to power in May. China insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. (AFP)

120 Taiwanese arrested in Greece over suspected telecom crimes

Apple Inc &lt;AAPL.O&gt; is planning to open its first Apple Store in Taiwan, a move that comes after the U.S. technology giant raised $1.38 billion in a bond offering last month on the island that is home to many companies in its supply chain. 
 
Apple was seeking &quot;a leader for personnel training plans for the Taiwan Apple Store&quot; and other retail positions indicating it was looking for a team in Taiwan, according to job postings dated Friday on Apple&#39;s website. 
 
The Cupertino, California-based company confirmed it had plans to open the first Apple Store in Taiwan, but provided no other details. 
 
The Apple Store is the envy of many in the retail world, with the highest sales per square foot in the industry, but some say the stores have lost their edge since the first one opened 15 years ago. 
 
This year Apple&#39;s popular iPhones saw their first ever sales decline during the second quarter as the firm struggled with an increasingly saturated smartphone market. 
 
Apple&#39;s Greater China revenue, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, sank 26 percent in its second fiscal quarter from a year earlier. 
 
Apple didn&#39;t break out revenue for Taiwan, but company executives said in April that the decline had to do with revenue from Hong Kong. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The Apple Store is the envy of many in the retail world, with the highest sales per square foot in the industry

Apple Inc <AAPL.O> is planning to open its first Apple Store in Taiwan, a move that comes after the U.S. technology giant raised $1.38 billion in a bond offering last month on the island that is home to many companies in its supply chain. Apple was seeking "a leader for personnel training plans for the Taiwan Apple Store" and other retail positions indicating it was looking for a team in Taiwan, according to job postings dated Friday on Apple's website. The Cupertino, California-based company confirmed it had plans to open the first Apple Store in Taiwan, but provided no other details. The Apple Store is the envy of many in the retail world, with the highest sales per square foot in the industry, but some say the stores have lost their edge since the first one opened 15 years ago. This year Apple's popular iPhones saw their first ever sales decline during the second quarter as the firm struggled with an increasingly saturated smartphone market. Apple's Greater China revenue, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, sank 26 percent in its second fiscal quarter from a year earlier. Apple didn't break out revenue for Taiwan, but company executives said in April that the decline had to do with revenue from Hong Kong. (Reuters)

Taiwan to get its first Apple store

Taiwan today said it was ramping up defence training and guidelines after a missile was accidentally launched towards China, killing one person and triggering a stern response from Beijing. 
 
The Hsiung-feng III (Brave Wind) missile flew about 75 kilometres (45 miles) before hitting a trawler earlier this month in waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island group in the Taiwan Strait. It killed the boat`s skipper and injured three crew on board. 
 
The accident came at a time of deteriorating ties between the island and China, which insists self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. It has not ruled out using force to bring about reunification. 
 
The navy said the staff sergeant who launched the missile had mistakenly chosen &quot;war mode&quot; and &quot;missile loading mode&quot; during the practice drill. 
 
&quot;The incident caused a death and endangered ties with the mainland,&quot; Taiwan defence minister Feng Shih-kuan said in a statement posted today on social media. 
 
&quot;It also raised international concerns and upset the morale and honour of the military.&quot; 
 
Feng said all units in charge of &quot;precision weapons&quot; must complete the new training by August 15. 
 
The measures also call for improved operating guidelines to be implemented and a disciplinary code for relevant units. 
 
Zhang Zhihjun, the head of China`s Taiwan affairs office in Beijing, issued a warning in response to the accidental launch. 
 
&quot;At a time when the mainland repeatedly stressed it wants to sustain peaceful development of cross-strait ties...I felt the influence from the event could be very severe,&quot; he said. 
 
Beijing mistrusts President Tsai Ing-Wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party in government at the start of the year, and has warned her against any attempt at a breakaway. 
 
(AFP)

The Hsiung-feng III missile hit a trawler earlier this month in the Taiwan strait killing the boat's skipper and wounding three crew members

Taiwan today said it was ramping up defence training and guidelines after a missile was accidentally launched towards China, killing one person and triggering a stern response from Beijing. The Hsiung-feng III (Brave Wind) missile flew about 75 kilometres (45 miles) before hitting a trawler earlier this month in waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island group in the Taiwan Strait. It killed the boat`s skipper and injured three crew on board. The accident came at a time of deteriorating ties between the island and China, which insists self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. It has not ruled out using force to bring about reunification. The navy said the staff sergeant who launched the missile had mistakenly chosen "war mode" and "missile loading mode" during the practice drill. "The incident caused a death and endangered ties with the mainland," Taiwan defence minister Feng Shih-kuan said in a statement posted today on social media. "It also raised international concerns and upset the morale and honour of the military." Feng said all units in charge of "precision weapons" must complete the new training by August 15. The measures also call for improved operating guidelines to be implemented and a disciplinary code for relevant units. Zhang Zhihjun, the head of China`s Taiwan affairs office in Beijing, issued a warning in response to the accidental launch. "At a time when the mainland repeatedly stressed it wants to sustain peaceful development of cross-strait ties...I felt the influence from the event could be very severe," he said. Beijing mistrusts President Tsai Ing-Wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party in government at the start of the year, and has warned her against any attempt at a breakaway. (AFP)

Taiwan ramps up training after deadly missile gaffe

The first typhoon in the region this year is fast approaching south China&rsquo;s Fujian Province, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the coastal city of Putian today. 
 
The downpour in the morning added to the already seriously flooded city, impeding traffic and causing damage to residential buildings. 
 
Rescuers conducted operations around the city. In Xiuyu district, firefighters rescued a woman who was trapped in the middle of a street by the rising flood. 
 
The local meteorological bureau predicts that the typhoon will make landslide in Fujian Province today around noon, and has issued a warning of possible weather-related disasters. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The meteorological bureau predicts it will make landfall in Fujian Province around noon and warns of possible weather-related disasters

The first typhoon in the region this year is fast approaching south China’s Fujian Province, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the coastal city of Putian today. The downpour in the morning added to the already seriously flooded city, impeding traffic and causing damage to residential buildings. Rescuers conducted operations around the city. In Xiuyu district, firefighters rescued a woman who was trapped in the middle of a street by the rising flood. The local meteorological bureau predicts that the typhoon will make landslide in Fujian Province today around noon, and has issued a warning of possible weather-related disasters. (Reuters)

Typhoon Nepartak to sweep east China province

Super typhoon Nepartak lashed Taiwan with powerful winds and torrential rain as it made landfall on Friday, injuring dozens and forcing more than 15,000 to evacuate their homes as the island cancelled hundreds of flights and shut offices and schools. 
 
Packing gusts of up to 198 kilometres per hour (123 miles per hour), it landed at Taimali township in eastern Taitung county shortly before 6:00am (2200 GMT, Thursday) and was moving northwest across the island. 
 
One man drowned off a beach in Hualien county on Thursday, according to an official tally, with another 66 people injured so far, mostly by falling objects. 
 
TV footage showed ferocious winds battering Taitung, which recorded the strongest gusts since 1901, according to Taiwan&#39;s central weather bureau.&nbsp; 
 
Fallen shop signs and toppled trees littered the streets, while a cargo train car was blown off the tracks in Taitung, TV reports said. 
 
More than 15,000 people have been moved from their homes which were prone to landslides or flooding and about 3,700 of them were in shelters.&nbsp; 
 
Nearly 4,000 people evacuated were in New Taipei City, which includes Wulai, a popular hot spring area near the capital which was cut off for days after typhoon Soudelor ravaged Taiwan last August. 
 
As many as 331,900 households lost power due to the storm, with close to 255,000 without electricity as of Friday morning. 
 
The government said financial markets, schools and offices would all be closed on Friday. 
 
Most scheduled domestic flights were cancelled while 365 international flights were affected, Taipei&#39;s two main airports said.&nbsp; 
 
The railways will be closed for most of the day. 
 
Nearly 4,400 soldiers have been deployed around the island along with hundreds of vehicles, with another 35,000 troops on standby to help with evacuations and disaster relief. 
 
The weather bureau said the storm had weakened slightly after making landfall but would continue to dump torrential rain across the island for much of Friday. 
 
Mountainous areas may get as much as 900 millimetres (36 inches) of rain in total. 
 
The storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving at a speed of 13 kilometres an hour. 
 
&quot;It is expected the strength of this typhoon will continue to weaken and slow down in speed,&quot; the weather bureau said. 
 
It is forecast to hit southern China after battering Taiwan. 
 
Last year, super typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan, leaving a trail of destruction. 
 
In 2009, typhoon Morakot devastated the island, killing more than 600 people, most of them buried in huge landslides in the south. 
 
(AFP)

It landed at Taimali township. One man drowned, 66 injured, says official data. It will hit south China next

Super typhoon Nepartak lashed Taiwan with powerful winds and torrential rain as it made landfall on Friday, injuring dozens and forcing more than 15,000 to evacuate their homes as the island cancelled hundreds of flights and shut offices and schools. Packing gusts of up to 198 kilometres per hour (123 miles per hour), it landed at Taimali township in eastern Taitung county shortly before 6:00am (2200 GMT, Thursday) and was moving northwest across the island. One man drowned off a beach in Hualien county on Thursday, according to an official tally, with another 66 people injured so far, mostly by falling objects. TV footage showed ferocious winds battering Taitung, which recorded the strongest gusts since 1901, according to Taiwan's central weather bureau. Fallen shop signs and toppled trees littered the streets, while a cargo train car was blown off the tracks in Taitung, TV reports said. More than 15,000 people have been moved from their homes which were prone to landslides or flooding and about 3,700 of them were in shelters. Nearly 4,000 people evacuated were in New Taipei City, which includes Wulai, a popular hot spring area near the capital which was cut off for days after typhoon Soudelor ravaged Taiwan last August. As many as 331,900 households lost power due to the storm, with close to 255,000 without electricity as of Friday morning. The government said financial markets, schools and offices would all be closed on Friday. Most scheduled domestic flights were cancelled while 365 international flights were affected, Taipei's two main airports said. The railways will be closed for most of the day. Nearly 4,400 soldiers have been deployed around the island along with hundreds of vehicles, with another 35,000 troops on standby to help with evacuations and disaster relief. The weather bureau said the storm had weakened slightly after making landfall but would continue to dump torrential rain across the island for much of Friday. Mountainous areas may get as much as 900 millimetres (36 inches) of rain in total. The storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving at a speed of 13 kilometres an hour. "It is expected the strength of this typhoon will continue to weaken and slow down in speed," the weather bureau said. It is forecast to hit southern China after battering Taiwan. Last year, super typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan, leaving a trail of destruction. In 2009, typhoon Morakot devastated the island, killing more than 600 people, most of them buried in huge landslides in the south. (AFP)

15,000 evacuated as super typhoon Nepartak hits Taiwan

At least 24 people were injured in an explosion on a train in Taiwan&#39;s capital late Thursday, in an incident described by the island&#39;s premier as &quot;malicious&quot;. 
 
The blast at around 10 pm (1400 GMT) caused a small fire and plunged the carriage into darkness as the train was pulling into a station in Taipei. 
 
&quot;It looks like somebody did this with a malicious intent and we will fully investigate this case,&quot; Taiwan&#39;s premier Lin Chuan told reporters. 
 
Local media quoted eyewitnesses saying they had seen a man carry a black rectangle-shaped object onto the train.&nbsp;Police were reviewing surveillance footage to try and identify the man, but also said that they had not received any threats prior to the incident. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s something like a firecracker that exploded ... I saw a rectangle-shaped firecracker on the seat. We will explain more after the forensics team inspect (the scene),&quot; said National Police Agency chief Chen Kuo-en. 
 
Television footage showed emergency workers treating injured passengers outside the train station, most of them suffering from burns. 
 
&quot;There was a blast and the carriage went dark. People were panicking and screaming,&quot; one passenger told a local news channel.&nbsp;&quot;I saw fire from the lights and I heard a sound and my hair was on fire,&quot; another woman said. 
 
Images from inside the train carriage showed shattered glass on the floor and part of a side wall blackened by flames.&nbsp;&quot;I want to tell the public to rest assured, as we have heightened the alert for the security of public areas and transport systems,&quot; premier Lin told reporters after he had visited the injured in hospital. 
 
The government set up an emergency taskforce to investigate the cause and a police probe is underway, his office also said in a statement.&nbsp;In 2014 a college student killed four people in a stabbing sprees on the Taipei metro, shocking the island and prompting a security overhaul of the city&#39;s public transport systems. 
 
(AFP)

It looks like somebody did this with a malicious intent and we will fully investigate this case: Taiwan's premier, Lin Chuan

At least 24 people were injured in an explosion on a train in Taiwan's capital late Thursday, in an incident described by the island's premier as "malicious". The blast at around 10 pm (1400 GMT) caused a small fire and plunged the carriage into darkness as the train was pulling into a station in Taipei. "It looks like somebody did this with a malicious intent and we will fully investigate this case," Taiwan's premier Lin Chuan told reporters. Local media quoted eyewitnesses saying they had seen a man carry a black rectangle-shaped object onto the train. Police were reviewing surveillance footage to try and identify the man, but also said that they had not received any threats prior to the incident. "It's something like a firecracker that exploded ... I saw a rectangle-shaped firecracker on the seat. We will explain more after the forensics team inspect (the scene)," said National Police Agency chief Chen Kuo-en. Television footage showed emergency workers treating injured passengers outside the train station, most of them suffering from burns. "There was a blast and the carriage went dark. People were panicking and screaming," one passenger told a local news channel. "I saw fire from the lights and I heard a sound and my hair was on fire," another woman said. Images from inside the train carriage showed shattered glass on the floor and part of a side wall blackened by flames. "I want to tell the public to rest assured, as we have heightened the alert for the security of public areas and transport systems," premier Lin told reporters after he had visited the injured in hospital. The government set up an emergency taskforce to investigate the cause and a police probe is underway, his office also said in a statement. In 2014 a college student killed four people in a stabbing sprees on the Taipei metro, shocking the island and prompting a security overhaul of the city's public transport systems. (AFP)

Explosion on Taiwan train, at least 24 injured

A fire that tore through a nursing home killed five people and injured another 29 in Taiwan today. 
 
Television footage showed elderly people being evacuated from the facility, some in clothes blackened by smoke.&nbsp; 
 
Three bodies were found in the private nursing facility on the eighth floor of a ten-storey building in Xindian, New Taipei City, while rescuers rushed 31 people to hospital. 
 
Two people were later pronounced dead, while 18 were found to be suffering from serious injuries, the local fire department said. 
 
The fire was extinguished in around 30 minutes but the evacuation process was made more difficult by the fact that most elderly residents were bedridden or wheelchair-bound, it added.&nbsp; 
 
Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort. 
 
&quot;The facility has passed inspections but we are investigating if its response (to the fire) and the staffing on the day met regulations,&quot; New Taipei City deputy mayor, Hou You-yi, told reporters.&nbsp; 
 
The facility has seven members of staff, according to the authorities. Local media reported that there were only two or three workers looking after some 40 residents at the time of the fire. 
 
In 2012, 13 people were killed and 60 others injured in a nursing home fire in southern Taiwan set by a 67-year-old man. 
 
The culprit, who was later sentenced to death, said he was in a bad mood, and was suffering from cancer and other chronic health problems. 
 
(AFP)

Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort

A fire that tore through a nursing home killed five people and injured another 29 in Taiwan today. Television footage showed elderly people being evacuated from the facility, some in clothes blackened by smoke. Three bodies were found in the private nursing facility on the eighth floor of a ten-storey building in Xindian, New Taipei City, while rescuers rushed 31 people to hospital. Two people were later pronounced dead, while 18 were found to be suffering from serious injuries, the local fire department said. The fire was extinguished in around 30 minutes but the evacuation process was made more difficult by the fact that most elderly residents were bedridden or wheelchair-bound, it added. Authorities are looking into claims that insufficient staffing at the home had further complicated the rescue effort. "The facility has passed inspections but we are investigating if its response (to the fire) and the staffing on the day met regulations," New Taipei City deputy mayor, Hou You-yi, told reporters. The facility has seven members of staff, according to the authorities. Local media reported that there were only two or three workers looking after some 40 residents at the time of the fire. In 2012, 13 people were killed and 60 others injured in a nursing home fire in southern Taiwan set by a 67-year-old man. The culprit, who was later sentenced to death, said he was in a bad mood, and was suffering from cancer and other chronic health problems. (AFP)

Five killed, 29 hurt in Taiwan nursing home fire

Taiwanese were told today to brace for extreme winds and lashing rains as the first typhoon of the season bore down on the island. 
 
Typhoon Nepartak was blowing gusts of up to 245 kilometres (152 miles) an hour, some 870 kilometres southeast of Taiwan&#39;s Hualien city at 0600 GMT, the island&#39;s Central Weather Bureau said. 
 
The &quot;super typhoon&quot; would likely make landfall on early Friday morning, the bureau said. 
 
&quot;As the typhoon kept gaining strength and approaching Taiwan over the past three hours, the Central Weather Bureau decided to issue a sea warning at 2:30 pm (0630 GMT),&quot; senior forecaster Chen Yi-liang told reporters. 
 
&quot;The typhoon could bring in strong winds and torrential rains...residents must heighten their vigilance,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
The tropical storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving west-northwest at a speed of 22 kilometres an hour, the bureau added. 
 
Super typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan last year after it pounded the island with fierce winds and torrential rains that uprooted trees and triggered multiple landslides. 
 
(AFP)

Typhoon Nepartak was blowing out wind gusts of up to 245 kmph

Taiwanese were told today to brace for extreme winds and lashing rains as the first typhoon of the season bore down on the island. Typhoon Nepartak was blowing gusts of up to 245 kilometres (152 miles) an hour, some 870 kilometres southeast of Taiwan's Hualien city at 0600 GMT, the island's Central Weather Bureau said. The "super typhoon" would likely make landfall on early Friday morning, the bureau said. "As the typhoon kept gaining strength and approaching Taiwan over the past three hours, the Central Weather Bureau decided to issue a sea warning at 2:30 pm (0630 GMT)," senior forecaster Chen Yi-liang told reporters. "The typhoon could bring in strong winds and torrential rains...residents must heighten their vigilance," he said. The tropical storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving west-northwest at a speed of 22 kilometres an hour, the bureau added. Super typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan last year after it pounded the island with fierce winds and torrential rains that uprooted trees and triggered multiple landslides. (AFP)

Taiwan braces for 'super typhoon', will likely make landfall on Friday

Taiwan is expected to become the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriages following a likely decision to present this proposal before a parliamentary committee, reports CNN. 
 
Taiwan has a large gay community and its annual gay pride parade is said to be the biggest in Asia. 
 
It is one of the most progressive places in Asia in terms of safeguarding and promoting LGBT rights, giving legal status to homosexuality and permitting sex change operations. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m sure gay marriage will be legalised soon,&quot; said Chang, 45, who runs one of Taipei&#39;s most famous gay bars, Dalida, in the heart of the city&#39;s gay village. 
 
With the Liberal Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in power, expectations are high that Taiwan will become the first place in Asia to permit same-sex marriage. 
 
Tsai Ing-wen who was sworn in as Taiwan&#39;s first female President in May this year, has repeatedly voiced her support for sexual equality and LGBT rights. 
 
However, homosexuality is still controversial with the older generation, and gay marriage is opposed by politically influential social conservative and Christian groups. 
 
Previously, a bill raised to legalise same sex marriage in 2012 failed in the parliament and Yu Mei-Nu, the DPP legislator who proposed the last bill, says she is preparing to try again. She expects to present the bill later this year.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

Taiwan has a large gay community and its annual gay pride parade is said to be the biggest in Asia

Taiwan is expected to become the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriages following a likely decision to present this proposal before a parliamentary committee, reports CNN. Taiwan has a large gay community and its annual gay pride parade is said to be the biggest in Asia. It is one of the most progressive places in Asia in terms of safeguarding and promoting LGBT rights, giving legal status to homosexuality and permitting sex change operations. "I'm sure gay marriage will be legalised soon," said Chang, 45, who runs one of Taipei's most famous gay bars, Dalida, in the heart of the city's gay village. With the Liberal Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in power, expectations are high that Taiwan will become the first place in Asia to permit same-sex marriage. Tsai Ing-wen who was sworn in as Taiwan's first female President in May this year, has repeatedly voiced her support for sexual equality and LGBT rights. However, homosexuality is still controversial with the older generation, and gay marriage is opposed by politically influential social conservative and Christian groups. Previously, a bill raised to legalise same sex marriage in 2012 failed in the parliament and Yu Mei-Nu, the DPP legislator who proposed the last bill, says she is preparing to try again. She expects to present the bill later this year. (ANI)

Taiwan may become the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage

A Taiwanese warship mistakenly launched a supersonic &quot;aircraft carrier killer&quot; missile towards China today, hitting a fishing boat and killing one person, the navy said, as ties between the island and its once-bitter rival deteriorate. 
 
The Hsiung-feng III (Brave Wind) missile flew about 75 kilometres (45 miles) before hitting the trawler in waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island group in the Taiwan Strait. 
 
The skipper on the Taiwanese 60-tonne trawler was killed and three other crew on board, including a Vietnamese and a Filipino, were injured. 
 
&quot;An initial investigation showed that the incident has caused the death of the skipper,&quot; Taiwan&#39;s defence ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi told reporters, adding, &quot;We apologise to the family of the skipper and would like to convey our condolences to them&quot;. 
 
The missile was fired during a drill at around 8:10am (0010 GMT) from a 500-tonne missile ship, docked at a naval base in the southern city of Tsoying, in the direction of China. 
 
The navy said the missile went through the trawler, but did not explode, nor did it sink the fishing vessel. 
 
Television images showed the upper part of the cabin, where the skipper was when it was hit, scorched and destroyed.&nbsp; 
 
The navy said it was not immediately clear how the missile, which has a range of 300 kilometres, had come to be launched, but suggested it could have been due to human error. 
 
&quot;Our initial investigation found that the operation was not done in accordance with normal procedure,&quot; Vice Admiral Mei Chia-shu told reporters, adding that an investigation was under way. 
 
Helicopters and navy ships were sent to search for the missile, Mei said, adding that the military had reported the gaffe to the island&#39;s top security body, the National Security Conference. 
 
Taiwan&#39;s Mainland Affairs Council, which handles China policy, said it had notified Beijing of the incident through a quasi-official body. 
 
Official communications between the council and its Chinese counterpart have effectively been frozen by Beijing over Taiwan&#39;s new government refusing to recognise the &quot;one China&quot; concept. 
 
The tenet, agreed by Beijing and Taiwan&#39;s then-ruling Nationalists in 1992, established that there is only one China, but with each side reserving the right to interpret the concept as they see fit. 
 
Analysts said Friday&#39;s incident drew attention to how damaging the freeze in communications could prove. 
 
&quot;This event highlights the importance of communications between the two sides... In order to reduce the possibility of any misjudgement,&quot; professor Alexander Huang from Tamkang University told AFP, adding, &quot;Otherwise, should we wait until a big event happens?&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Ties between Taipei and Beijing have deteriorated noticeably since President Tsai Ing-wen of the China-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected in January. 
 
Beijing is deeply mistrustful of Tsai, whose DPP replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party in government, and has warned her against any attempt at a breakaway. 
 
China still insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and has not ruled out using force to bring about reunification. 
 
According to Taiwan&#39;s defence ministry, there are 1,500 Chinese missiles aimed at the island.&nbsp; 
 
China launched some of the missiles into waters off Taiwan in 1995 and 1996 in an attempt to deter voters in the island&#39;s first democratic presidential elections. 
 
(AFP)

Ties between the two are expected to worsen as the missile hit a fishing boat, killing the skipper and injuring 3 others

A Taiwanese warship mistakenly launched a supersonic "aircraft carrier killer" missile towards China today, hitting a fishing boat and killing one person, the navy said, as ties between the island and its once-bitter rival deteriorate. The Hsiung-feng III (Brave Wind) missile flew about 75 kilometres (45 miles) before hitting the trawler in waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island group in the Taiwan Strait. The skipper on the Taiwanese 60-tonne trawler was killed and three other crew on board, including a Vietnamese and a Filipino, were injured. "An initial investigation showed that the incident has caused the death of the skipper," Taiwan's defence ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi told reporters, adding, "We apologise to the family of the skipper and would like to convey our condolences to them". The missile was fired during a drill at around 8:10am (0010 GMT) from a 500-tonne missile ship, docked at a naval base in the southern city of Tsoying, in the direction of China. The navy said the missile went through the trawler, but did not explode, nor did it sink the fishing vessel. Television images showed the upper part of the cabin, where the skipper was when it was hit, scorched and destroyed. The navy said it was not immediately clear how the missile, which has a range of 300 kilometres, had come to be launched, but suggested it could have been due to human error. "Our initial investigation found that the operation was not done in accordance with normal procedure," Vice Admiral Mei Chia-shu told reporters, adding that an investigation was under way. Helicopters and navy ships were sent to search for the missile, Mei said, adding that the military had reported the gaffe to the island's top security body, the National Security Conference. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which handles China policy, said it had notified Beijing of the incident through a quasi-official body. Official communications between the council and its Chinese counterpart have effectively been frozen by Beijing over Taiwan's new government refusing to recognise the "one China" concept. The tenet, agreed by Beijing and Taiwan's then-ruling Nationalists in 1992, established that there is only one China, but with each side reserving the right to interpret the concept as they see fit. Analysts said Friday's incident drew attention to how damaging the freeze in communications could prove. "This event highlights the importance of communications between the two sides... In order to reduce the possibility of any misjudgement," professor Alexander Huang from Tamkang University told AFP, adding, "Otherwise, should we wait until a big event happens?" Ties between Taipei and Beijing have deteriorated noticeably since President Tsai Ing-wen of the China-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected in January. Beijing is deeply mistrustful of Tsai, whose DPP replaced the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party in government, and has warned her against any attempt at a breakaway. China still insists that self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and has not ruled out using force to bring about reunification. According to Taiwan's defence ministry, there are 1,500 Chinese missiles aimed at the island. China launched some of the missiles into waters off Taiwan in 1995 and 1996 in an attempt to deter voters in the island's first democratic presidential elections. (AFP)

Taiwan mistakenly fires missile towards China, 1 dead

The Chinese government said on Saturday that it had stopped a communication mechanism with Taiwan because of the refusal of the self-ruled island&rsquo;s new government to recognise the &quot;one China&quot; principle, in the latest show of tension between the two. 
 
China, which regards Taiwan as wayward province, is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who took office last month, as they suspect she will push for formal independence. 
 
Tsai, who heads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, says she wants to maintain the status quo with China and is committed to ensuring peace. 
 
But China has insisted she recognise something called the &quot;1992 consensus&quot; reached between China&#39;s Communists and Taiwan&#39;s then-ruling Nationalists, under which both agreed there is only one China, with each having their own interpretation of what that means. 
 
In a brief statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency, China&#39;s Taiwan Affairs Office said that since May 20, when Tsai took office, Taiwan has not affirmed this consensus. 
 
&quot;Because the Taiwan side has not acknowledged the 1992 consensus, this joint political basis for showing the one China principle, the cross Taiwan Strait contact and communication mechanism has already stopped,&quot; spokesman An Fengshan said. 
 
The announcement came as Taiwan expressed anger at Cambodia&#39;s deportation of 25 Taiwanese nationals wanted on fraud charges to China on Friday, ignoring attempts by Taiwanese officials to have them returned to the island. 
 
Taipei has accused Beijing of kidnapping when other countries such as Kenya and Malaysia have deported Taiwanese to China, also in fraud cases. 
 
Taiwan&#39;s Mainland Affairs Council said on Friday it had expressed its concerns to the Taiwan Affairs Office about the Cambodia case using the communication system. 
 
That system had been ushered in following a rapid improvement of ties under the rule of Taiwan&#39;s then-president Ma Ying-jeou, who took office in 2008 and signed a series of landmark trade and tourism deals with China. 
 
Tsai is currently on her first trip overseas as president, visiting diplomatic allies Panama and Paraguay, with transit stops both ways in the United States. 
 
Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan after a civil war with the Communists in 1949, which has never formally ended. China has also never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Communication mechanism between two countries halted because of new Taiwanese govt's refusal to recognise the 'one China' principle

The Chinese government said on Saturday that it had stopped a communication mechanism with Taiwan because of the refusal of the self-ruled island’s new government to recognise the "one China" principle, in the latest show of tension between the two. China, which regards Taiwan as wayward province, is deeply suspicious of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who took office last month, as they suspect she will push for formal independence. Tsai, who heads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, says she wants to maintain the status quo with China and is committed to ensuring peace. But China has insisted she recognise something called the "1992 consensus" reached between China's Communists and Taiwan's then-ruling Nationalists, under which both agreed there is only one China, with each having their own interpretation of what that means. In a brief statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said that since May 20, when Tsai took office, Taiwan has not affirmed this consensus. "Because the Taiwan side has not acknowledged the 1992 consensus, this joint political basis for showing the one China principle, the cross Taiwan Strait contact and communication mechanism has already stopped," spokesman An Fengshan said. The announcement came as Taiwan expressed anger at Cambodia's deportation of 25 Taiwanese nationals wanted on fraud charges to China on Friday, ignoring attempts by Taiwanese officials to have them returned to the island. Taipei has accused Beijing of kidnapping when other countries such as Kenya and Malaysia have deported Taiwanese to China, also in fraud cases. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said on Friday it had expressed its concerns to the Taiwan Affairs Office about the Cambodia case using the communication system. That system had been ushered in following a rapid improvement of ties under the rule of Taiwan's then-president Ma Ying-jeou, who took office in 2008 and signed a series of landmark trade and tourism deals with China. Tsai is currently on her first trip overseas as president, visiting diplomatic allies Panama and Paraguay, with transit stops both ways in the United States. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan after a civil war with the Communists in 1949, which has never formally ended. China has also never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. (Reuters)

China says it has stopped talking to Taiwan

Cambodia deported 25 Taiwanese nationals wanted on fraud charges to China today, ignoring attempts by Taiwanese officials to have them returned to Taiwan. 
 
A team of 90 Chinese police arrived in Phnom Penh to pick up the 25 Taiwanese nationals, and another 14 Chinese nationals detained in Cambodia, over suspected involvement in internet and telephone fraud. 
 
The detainees, some in tears, were forced to squat on the tarmac as the police searched them, removed their belongings and handcuffed them. 
 
&quot;Ninety Chinese police came here and picked them up themselves from the airport,&quot; Cambodian immigration officer Uk Heisela told Reuters. 
 
Cambodia, one of China&#39;s closest allies, detained the Taiwanese and Chinese nationals in coordination with Chinese authorities, who are attempting to halt the proliferation of scams that have cost billions of dollars. 
 
Cambodia does not have official relations with self-ruled Taiwan and considers the island part of &quot;one China&quot;, in line with Beijing which considers the island a breakaway province. 
 
&quot;Please, don&#39;t consider Cambodia as a hiding place, or for doing illegal businesses,&quot; Heisela said, confirming that the Taiwanese nationals were deported under the one-China policy. 
 
Taiwan&#39;s foreign ministry said it was &quot;deeply unsatisfied&quot; with the way Cambodia handled the case. 
 
In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was appreciative of Cambodia&#39;s handling of the issue under the &quot;one China&quot; principle, and that the suspects would have their rights guaranteed. 
 
Cambodia has deported more than 200 people suspected of involvement in fraud rings to China since November. 
 
Human Rights Watch said the group should have been allowed to appeal the decision to deport them in court. 
 
&quot;Sending a SWAT-style team to bundle these Taiwan and China nationals away without any sort of hearing or appeal process clearly demonstrates that China thinks that international laws and standards somehow don&#39;t apply to them,&quot; said Phil Robertson, the group&#39;s deputy director in Asia. 
 
China is Cambodia&#39;s largest foreign investor, and Cambodia is one of Beijing&#39;s staunchest regional allies. 
 
(Reuters)

14 Chinese nationals were also deported back to China from Cambodia under the contentious one-China policy

Cambodia deported 25 Taiwanese nationals wanted on fraud charges to China today, ignoring attempts by Taiwanese officials to have them returned to Taiwan. A team of 90 Chinese police arrived in Phnom Penh to pick up the 25 Taiwanese nationals, and another 14 Chinese nationals detained in Cambodia, over suspected involvement in internet and telephone fraud. The detainees, some in tears, were forced to squat on the tarmac as the police searched them, removed their belongings and handcuffed them. "Ninety Chinese police came here and picked them up themselves from the airport," Cambodian immigration officer Uk Heisela told Reuters. Cambodia, one of China's closest allies, detained the Taiwanese and Chinese nationals in coordination with Chinese authorities, who are attempting to halt the proliferation of scams that have cost billions of dollars. Cambodia does not have official relations with self-ruled Taiwan and considers the island part of "one China", in line with Beijing which considers the island a breakaway province. "Please, don't consider Cambodia as a hiding place, or for doing illegal businesses," Heisela said, confirming that the Taiwanese nationals were deported under the one-China policy. Taiwan's foreign ministry said it was "deeply unsatisfied" with the way Cambodia handled the case. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China was appreciative of Cambodia's handling of the issue under the "one China" principle, and that the suspects would have their rights guaranteed. Cambodia has deported more than 200 people suspected of involvement in fraud rings to China since November. Human Rights Watch said the group should have been allowed to appeal the decision to deport them in court. "Sending a SWAT-style team to bundle these Taiwan and China nationals away without any sort of hearing or appeal process clearly demonstrates that China thinks that international laws and standards somehow don't apply to them," said Phil Robertson, the group's deputy director in Asia. China is Cambodia's largest foreign investor, and Cambodia is one of Beijing's staunchest regional allies. (Reuters)

Cambodia deports 25 Taiwanese suspected of fraud to China, angering Taiwan's officials

Dutch chipmaking equipment firm ASML Holdings NV has agreed to buy Taiwanese peer Hermes Microvision Inc (HMI) for about T$100 billion ($3.1 billion) to strengthen the pair&#39;s technology offering for semiconductor manufacturers. 
 
The transaction would be one of the biggest inbound acquisitions for Taiwan, an island known for its tech industry. It comes after US memory chipmaker Micron Technology Inc said late last year that it planned to buy the remaining interest in its Taiwanese joint venture in a deal valued around $3.2 billion. 
 
It would also be the latest consolidation in a global semiconductor industry faced with an increasingly saturated smartphone market - once a key growth driver - as well as the emergence of deep-pocketed Chinese players. 
 
Late last month, Taiwan&#39;s two biggest chip testing and packaging companies said they would come together under a new holding company. 
 
&quot;The bigger get bigger,&quot; said chip analyst Steve Huang at Yuanta Investment Consulting. 
 
ASML is the world&#39;s biggest chipmaking equipment supplier, with customers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Intel Corp and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. HMI&#39;s technology is used to scan and test for wafer defects in the semiconductor manufacturing process. 
 
Both companies, which already work together, will be able to share research, development and intellectual property under one roof, analysts said, which is key as their customers migrate toward ever smaller and more advanced manufacturing processes. 
 
&quot;It paints a very complex landscape,&quot; said ASML chief executive Peter Wenninck in a video posted on the company&#39;s website explaining the deal&#39;s rationale. &quot;The times of point solutions are gone. We need integrated solutions.&quot; 
 
Under terms of the deal, each HMI shareholder would receive T$1,410 per share in cash. That represents a near 17 per cent premium to the stock&#39;s Wednesday close of T$1,210 before the deal&#39;s announcement. 
 
Today shares of Taiwan-listed HMI rose by their daily limit of 10 per cent, and were last trading at T$1,330. 
 
ASML&#39;s acquisition of HMI will be part-funded by about 1.5 billion Euros ($1.69 billion) of debt, the two companies said. 
 
The pair expects the deal to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year. 
 
Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse acted as financial advisors on the deal for HMI and ASML respectively. 
(Reuters)

Both the companies will mutally benefit from this transaction as they can share research, development and intellectual property

Dutch chipmaking equipment firm ASML Holdings NV has agreed to buy Taiwanese peer Hermes Microvision Inc (HMI) for about T$100 billion ($3.1 billion) to strengthen the pair's technology offering for semiconductor manufacturers. The transaction would be one of the biggest inbound acquisitions for Taiwan, an island known for its tech industry. It comes after US memory chipmaker Micron Technology Inc said late last year that it planned to buy the remaining interest in its Taiwanese joint venture in a deal valued around $3.2 billion. It would also be the latest consolidation in a global semiconductor industry faced with an increasingly saturated smartphone market - once a key growth driver - as well as the emergence of deep-pocketed Chinese players. Late last month, Taiwan's two biggest chip testing and packaging companies said they would come together under a new holding company. "The bigger get bigger," said chip analyst Steve Huang at Yuanta Investment Consulting. ASML is the world's biggest chipmaking equipment supplier, with customers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Intel Corp and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. HMI's technology is used to scan and test for wafer defects in the semiconductor manufacturing process. Both companies, which already work together, will be able to share research, development and intellectual property under one roof, analysts said, which is key as their customers migrate toward ever smaller and more advanced manufacturing processes. "It paints a very complex landscape," said ASML chief executive Peter Wenninck in a video posted on the company's website explaining the deal's rationale. "The times of point solutions are gone. We need integrated solutions." Under terms of the deal, each HMI shareholder would receive T$1,410 per share in cash. That represents a near 17 per cent premium to the stock's Wednesday close of T$1,210 before the deal's announcement. Today shares of Taiwan-listed HMI rose by their daily limit of 10 per cent, and were last trading at T$1,330. ASML's acquisition of HMI will be part-funded by about 1.5 billion Euros ($1.69 billion) of debt, the two companies said. The pair expects the deal to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year. Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse acted as financial advisors on the deal for HMI and ASML respectively. (Reuters)

Dutch firm ASML to buy Taiwan's Hermes Microvision for $3.1 billion

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. 
 
Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. 
 
Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. 
 
In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. 
 
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the &quot;one China&quot; policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. 
 
Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan&#39;s independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. 
 
&quot;We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China,&quot; he said. 
 
Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed &quot;strong support&quot; for Tibetans&#39; human rights. 
 
The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. 
 
He told Reuters Obama was a &quot;a long-time friend&quot; whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. 
 
Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: &quot;I don&#39;t know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded.&quot; 
 
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island&#39;s few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan&#39;s deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. 
 
China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. 
 
Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai&#39;s trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. 
(Reuters)

China warned the US to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activity in accordance with its 'one China' policy

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the "one China" policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan's independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. "We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China," he said. Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed "strong support" for Tibetans' human rights. The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. He told Reuters Obama was a "a long-time friend" whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: "I don't know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded." Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island's few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai's trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. (Reuters)

Obama to meet the Dalai Lama at White House today

Apple Inc plans to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time, with the aim of raising $1 billion, joining the list&nbsp;of big global names that have sold billions of dollars on Taiwan&#39;s busy debt market,&nbsp;sources said.

Liquidity in the Taiwanese bond market is flush, with long-term buyers of debt, primarily life insurance firms, seeking creditworthy names and chasing higher yields. Blue-chip multinationals regularly issue dollar bonds of such size on the island, home to Apple&#39;s supply chain.

In December, U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp sold $915 million of 30-year bonds with yields of 4.7 per cent. A month later, global brewer Anheuser Busch InBev SA issued a $1.47 billion bond of the same maturity at 4.915 per cent, according to data from the Taipei Exchange, Taiwan&#39;s over-the-counter market.

Cash-rich and yield-hungry investors in Taiwan have made the island a haven for debt financing. These investors tend to hold through maturity, letting issuers lock in cheap pricing.

&quot;Taiwan insurance companies don&#39;t have enough good (quality) fixed-income investment targets,&quot; said an official at a local securities house, declining to be identified as he was not authorised to talk to the media.

&quot;But their funds continue to grow because in this low rate macro-environment. Consumers prefer to buy financial products offered by insurance companies rather than park money in a bank deposit,&quot; he said.

The planned offering is likely to help Apple secure solid partnership with its suppliers, analysts said. Taiwan is home to Apple&#39;s massive supply chain that includes iPhone manufacturer Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and lens producer Largan Precision Co.

The U.S. dollar bonds will have a tenor of 30 years and be calleable after the second year, the sources told Reuters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Apple declined to comment when asked about the plan.

So far this year, upwards of $16 billion in new U.S. dollar bonds have been issued, already more than half of the $29 billion in U.S. dollar bonds sold for all of 2015, OTC exchange data shows.

The OTC exchange, where corporate bonds can trade in the secondary market, said it was not aware of any plan by Apple to issue bonds. In Taiwan, bond issuers only need three days or less to notify the exchange before being listed.

Market participants have been looking at initial yields of around 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent on the planned Apple bonds, two of the sources said.

Taiwan&#39;s 30-year government bond, which is less liquid in the secondary market, was last quoted around 1.6475 per cent.

Apple to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time.

Apple Inc plans to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time, with the aim of raising $1 billion, joining the list of big global names that have sold billions of dollars on Taiwan's busy debt market, sources said. Liquidity in the Taiwanese bond market is flush, with long-term buyers of debt, primarily life insurance firms, seeking creditworthy names and chasing higher yields. Blue-chip multinationals regularly issue dollar bonds of such size on the island, home to Apple's supply chain. In December, U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp sold $915 million of 30-year bonds with yields of 4.7 per cent. A month later, global brewer Anheuser Busch InBev SA issued a $1.47 billion bond of the same maturity at 4.915 per cent, according to data from the Taipei Exchange, Taiwan's over-the-counter market. Cash-rich and yield-hungry investors in Taiwan have made the island a haven for debt financing. These investors tend to hold through maturity, letting issuers lock in cheap pricing. "Taiwan insurance companies don't have enough good (quality) fixed-income investment targets," said an official at a local securities house, declining to be identified as he was not authorised to talk to the media. "But their funds continue to grow because in this low rate macro-environment. Consumers prefer to buy financial products offered by insurance companies rather than park money in a bank deposit," he said. The planned offering is likely to help Apple secure solid partnership with its suppliers, analysts said. Taiwan is home to Apple's massive supply chain that includes iPhone manufacturer Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and lens producer Largan Precision Co. The U.S. dollar bonds will have a tenor of 30 years and be calleable after the second year, the sources told Reuters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Apple declined to comment when asked about the plan. So far this year, upwards of $16 billion in new U.S. dollar bonds have been issued, already more than half of the $29 billion in U.S. dollar bonds sold for all of 2015, OTC exchange data shows. The OTC exchange, where corporate bonds can trade in the secondary market, said it was not aware of any plan by Apple to issue bonds. In Taiwan, bond issuers only need three days or less to notify the exchange before being listed. Market participants have been looking at initial yields of around 4.2 per cent to 4.3 per cent on the planned Apple bonds, two of the sources said. Taiwan's 30-year government bond, which is less liquid in the secondary market, was last quoted around 1.6475 per cent.

Apple plans to sell 30-yr bonds worth $1 billion in Taiwan

Apple Inc plans to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time with the aim of raising $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said. It will be joining a queue of big global names that have sold billions of dollars on the island`s busy debt market.&nbsp; 
The U.S. dollar bonds will have a tenor of 30 years, the sources told Reuters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Apple declined to comment when asked about the plan.&nbsp; 
Liquidity in the Taiwanese bond market is flush, with long-term buyers of debt, primarily life insurance firms, seeking creditworthy names and chasing higher yields. Blue-chip multinationals regularly issue dollar bonds of such size on the island, home to Apple`s supply chain. 
In December, U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp sold $915 million of 30-year bonds with yields of 4.7 percent. A month later, Global brewer Anheuser Busch InBev SA issued a $1.47 billion bond of the same maturity at 4.915 percent, according to Taiwan Over-The-Counter Exchange data.&nbsp; 
So far this year, upwards of $16 billion in new U.S. dollar bonds have been issued, already more than half of the $29 billion in U.S. dollar bonds sold for all of 2015, OTC exchange data shows.&nbsp; 
Taiwan`s over-the-counter exchange, where corporate bonds can trade in the secondary market, said it was not aware of any plan by Apple to issue bonds. In Taiwan, bond issuers only need three days or less to notify the exchange before being listed.&nbsp; 
Market participants have been looking at initial yields of around 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent on the planned Apple bonds, two of the sources said.&nbsp; 
The island`s 30-year government bond, which is less liquid in the secondary market, was last quoted around 1.6475 percent. 
The planned Apple bonds will not be redeemable for the first two years, two of the sources said, citing market participants that had made enquiries.

Apple Inc plans to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time with the aim of raising $1 billion

Apple Inc plans to issue bonds in Taiwan for the first time with the aim of raising $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said. It will be joining a queue of big global names that have sold billions of dollars on the island`s busy debt market. The U.S. dollar bonds will have a tenor of 30 years, the sources told Reuters on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Apple declined to comment when asked about the plan. Liquidity in the Taiwanese bond market is flush, with long-term buyers of debt, primarily life insurance firms, seeking creditworthy names and chasing higher yields. Blue-chip multinationals regularly issue dollar bonds of such size on the island, home to Apple`s supply chain. In December, U.S. chipmaker Intel Corp sold $915 million of 30-year bonds with yields of 4.7 percent. A month later, Global brewer Anheuser Busch InBev SA issued a $1.47 billion bond of the same maturity at 4.915 percent, according to Taiwan Over-The-Counter Exchange data. So far this year, upwards of $16 billion in new U.S. dollar bonds have been issued, already more than half of the $29 billion in U.S. dollar bonds sold for all of 2015, OTC exchange data shows. Taiwan`s over-the-counter exchange, where corporate bonds can trade in the secondary market, said it was not aware of any plan by Apple to issue bonds. In Taiwan, bond issuers only need three days or less to notify the exchange before being listed. Market participants have been looking at initial yields of around 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent on the planned Apple bonds, two of the sources said. The island`s 30-year government bond, which is less liquid in the secondary market, was last quoted around 1.6475 percent. The planned Apple bonds will not be redeemable for the first two years, two of the sources said, citing market participants that had made enquiries.

Apple plans to sell bonds worth $1bn in Taiwan: sources

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 shook parts of Taiwan today&nbsp;and was felt in the capital, Taipei, residents and officials said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey originally recorded the quake, centred about 110 km (70 miles) northeast of Taipei, with a magnitude of 6.4. Taiwan&#39;s Central Weather Bureau put the magnitude at 7.2.

Parts of Taiwan tremble as 6.1 magnitude earthquake hits, but no immediate reports of damage

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 shook parts of Taiwan today and was felt in the capital, Taipei, residents and officials said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The U.S. Geological Survey originally recorded the quake, centred about 110 km (70 miles) northeast of Taipei, with a magnitude of 6.4. Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau put the magnitude at 7.2.

Earthquake measuring 6.1 shakes parts of Taiwan, including capital

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