Taiwan

China, Taiwan look to expand cross-strait flights

Taiwan MapTaipei - China will send a delegation to Taiwan this month for talks on expanding the number Chinese tour groups visiting the island, Taiwan radio said on Monday.

Shao Qiwei, director of the China National Tourism Administration, will lead the delegation at the cross-strait tourism conference in Taiwan on February 26, Broadcasting Corp of China said.

Some 500 mainland travel agents and tourism representatives have applied to attend the conference.

Officials plan to expand the daily charter flights - currently 54 round-trip flights by each side's airlines per week - to regular flights in July.

Former Taiwan vice president to start pro-independence newspaper

Taiwan Former Vice President Annette LuTaipei  - Taiwan's former vice president announced plans Sunday to start a newspaper to advocate for Taiwanese independence from China.

Annette Lu, 64, who ended two terms as vice president in May, held a luncheon in Taipei to raise funds for the afternoon paper, the Formosa Post, scheduled to begin publication July 1.

Lu raised 13 million Taiwan dollars (400,000 US dollars) at the event but said she needs 600 million (18 million US) to start the paper, and is recruiting reporters.

Taiwan people compose nearly 100 songs for China's pandas

Taiwan, ChinaTaipei - Taiwan people love the two Chinese pandas so much that they have composed nearly 100 songs for the two animals to express their love for the pandas, the Taipei Zoo said Saturday.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao offered two pandas to Taiwan in 2005, Taiwanese songwriters began to write songs for the animals to praise their beauty and cuteness.

The two pandas arrived in Taiwan on December 23, and made their public debut at the Taipei Zoo on January 26. Since then, tens of thousands of Taiwanese have flocked to the Taipei Zoo to see the pandas every day.

Taiwan's Acer to launch Smartphone in February

Taiwan's Acer to launch Smartphone in February Taipei  - Taiwan's computer giant Acer Inc will venture into the cellphone market with the launch of the Acer Smartphone in February, it was reported Saturday.

Acer will unveil its Smartphone at the GSMA Mobile World Congress to be held from February 16-19 in Barcelona, the Economic Daily News reported.

Taiwan family spends over 12 hours to view pandas for 10 minutes

Taiwan family spends over 12 hours to view pandas for 10 minutes Taipei - A Taiwan family spent more than 12 hours just to have a 10-minute glimpse of two giant pandas sent as a goodwill gift to the island from China, news reports said Friday.

The family of three from the southern county of Chiayi started out from their home Thursday night and was stuck on the island's packed freeways for seven hours before arriving at the Taipei Zoo before dawn on Friday, the United Evening News reported.

Taiwan family receives stranger's body for Chinese New Year

Taiwan, TaipeiTaipei - A Taiwan family began the Chinese New Year with bad luck when a hospital wrongly informed it that a family elder had died and sent them another man's corpse, a cable television channel reported Thursday.

The hospital phoned the Yuan family in Nantou in central Taiwan Wednesday, the third day of the Lunar Chinese New Year, to say its
92-year-old grandfather had died and it should prepare for his funeral, TVBS reported.

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