Taipei - Taiwan will launch the "One Dollar First Night" campaign to lure transfer air passengers to spend at least one night in Taipei, an official said Monday.

The Tourism Bureau said it will launch the promotion campaign in May because each year 2 million foreigners pass through Taiwan airports without visiting the island.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks rose 3.28 per cent Monday to a five-month closing high, bolstered by the technology sector, dealers said.

The main TAIEX share index opened higher and continued its upward trend to close at 5,124.18 points, up 162.56 points, or 3.28 per cent from Friday's trade, a closing level not seen since October 15.

Fuelled by expectation of more export orders for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp and United Microelectronics Corp, two of the world's leading contract chip makers, the technology sub-index rose sharply higher, dealers said.

Taipei  - El Salvador's president-elect Mauricio Funes, who has reportedly considered closer trade ties with China, has assured Taiwan of continued relations, it was reported Saturday.

Funes sent an envoy to Taiwan's embassy Friday to deliver his message of support, the Liberty Times reported.

Taipei - Taiwan's economic woes are causing an increasing number of the island's residents to search for work in China, a job placement agency said Friday.

According to the 104 Job Bank, an average of 22,000 Taiwan job seekers a day contacted the placement agency in March, asking for for jobs in China, up 20 per cent from February and up 30 per cent year-on-year.

The figure is the highest since the human resources agency started operations in 1996.

Taipei - Taiwanese interpreter Clare Wang became the top contender for the dream job as caretaker of an unmanned island off the coast of Australia Thursday after the No 2 candidate was disqualified.

The Queensland tourism board removed Russian candidate Julia Yalovitsyna from the top-50 shortlist because she featured in an "inappropriate video." The judging panel was also probing claims that she worked as a porn star.

Taipei - Taiwan said Thursday it did not oppose to its longtime ally El Salvador's possibly establishing diplomatic ties with the island's political rival China.

"What we care is to secure our relations" with El Salvador, said Taiwan's foreign minister Francisco Ou.

His comment came after El Salvador's new President-elect Maurico Funes said Wednesday he would consider establishing diplomatic ties with China when he was to take office on June 1.