• President Ma Still Plans to Visit Nicaragua
• Government Supports Francisco Ou's Remarks on Trade with China
• Stephen Young says New A-I-T Director Will Do Fantastic Job
• Government Formally Approves New Municipalities
• Administration to Reduce Number of Third-Level Local Governments
• Social Groups Call on Public to Tie Ribbons for Chen Shui-bian
• Police Confiscate Some 200 Cases of Tainted Alcohol

 

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Subject: President Ma Still Plans to Visit Nicaragua
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Despite the sudden death of the mayor of Nicaragua's capital, President Ma
Ying-jeou still plans to visit the country during his ongoing overseas trip
to diplomatic allies in Central America.

The mayor of Managua -- Alexis Arguello -- was found dead on Wednesday from a
gunshot to the head.

Officials say he most likely committed suicide.

There has been speculation that Ma's visit to Nicaragua could also be
affected by reports that Nicaraguan President -- Daniel Ortega -- could be
accompanying ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya on his return to
Honduras.

However, the foreign affairs minister says Ma's plans to travel to Nicaragua
remain in place.

The president attended the inauguration of Panamaniam President -- Roberto
Martinelli -- yesterday ... and is scheduled to tour the Panama Canal ... and
preside over the opening of a digitalized Mandarin-learning classroom
housed in the Taiwan-Panama Culture Center in Panama City.

He will also address Panama's new parliament and visit a container port
in Colon that was built by Taiwan's Evergreen Marine Corp.

Ma is scheduled to return to Taiwan on July 6th.

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Subject: Government Supports Francisco Ou's Remarks on Trade with China
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The Presidential Office says it is standing behind Minister of Foreign
Affairs -- Francisco Ou -- after he said that the government does not oppose
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies establishing economic and trade relations with
China.

The Presidential Office's comments come after several high-ranking officials
criticized Ou for being "too candid" about his opinion on the issue.

Ou says his remarks were consistent with President Ma Ying-jeou's previous
statement that the government does not oppose allies developing economic
relations with China.

However, K-M-T Legislator -- Wu Yu-sheng -- has suggested Ou step down,
saying that the foreign affairs minister's comments not only revealed the
president's bottom line, but also exposed the subtlety of cross-strait
relations.

Meanwhile ... D-P-P lawmakers have been supportive of Ou’s remarks, saying
there is nothing wrong with Taiwan’s allies also wanting to also establish
missions in China.

D-P-P Legislator -- Cai Tong-rong -- says dual recognition ... "one Taiwan,
one China" has always been his party's goal.

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Subject: Stephen Young says New A-I-T Director Will Do Fantastic Job
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Stephen Young -- outoing director of the American Institute in Taiwan -- says
says he has great confidence that his successor -- William A. Stanton -- will
do a "fantastic" job when he arrives next month.

Young says he has known Stanton for 20 years ... and described him as "an
experienced diplomat and an accomplished China-hand who will do a
fantastic job."

Young, who assumed the post of A-I-T director in March of 2006, will leave
the country today.

A-I-T Deputy Director -- Robert Wang -- will act as director until Stanton
arrives in August.

Stanton's most recent assignment recent assignment was as deputy chief of
mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.

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Subject: Government Formally Approves New Municipalities
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The Executive Yuan officially approved the mergers and upgrades for four new
municipalities yesterday.

This paves the way for simplifying the administrative system in the future.

Premier Liu Zhao-xuan has announced that he is going to approve the upgrade
of Taipei County to a higher status directly under the central government ...
and will allow the mergers and upgrades of the cities and counties of
Taichung, Gaoxiong and Tainan.

The changes -- which are scheduled to take effect on December 25th of 2010 --
will lead to increased budgets for the newly formed regions, allowing them to
establish more public projects.

According to Liu, with the inclusion of Northern, Central and Southern
Taiwan, the country could be divided into seven major regions which should
cooperate with the new areas ... and help develop their neighbors.

The D-P-P has criticized the changes for leaving out residents living in
areas that will not be upgraded ... saying that they will become poorer,
second-class citizens.

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Subject: Administration to Reduce Number of Third-Level Local Governments
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The Executive Yuan has set a goal of reducing the number of third-level local
governments from 368 ... to between 100 and 150.

This comes after the government's approval of four new municipalities.

Officials say the administrative borders of townships and villages in the new
municipalities have to be redrawn because of differing regulations.

The biggest difference is that districts chiefs in a municipality are
appointed by the city mayor, while heads of counties and cities in counties
and cities are elected by popular vote.

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Subject: Social Groups Call on Public to Tie Ribbons for Chen Shui-bian
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More than 30 social movements are calling on the public to tie yellow ribbons
in support of former President Chen Shui-bian, who has been in detention for
more than six months pending his ongoing trial on charges of corruption.

Organizers say the activity is aimed at emphaszing the need for fair justice
in the ex-president's case.

Members of the group are also callnig for Chen's release.

Activists plan to tie the ribbons all the way from the Taipei Detention
Center in Tucheng, Taipei County, where Chen is being held ... to the 228
Memorial Park close to the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei on July
12th.

Distribution of the ribbons will start on July 6th, when an estimated 1
million ribbons would become available from offices of the D-P-P islandwide.

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Subject: Police Confiscate Some 200 Cases of Tainted Alcohol
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Police say they have confiscated some 200 cases of alcohol imported from the
Netherlands ... after they were found to contain slight traces of cocaine.

The A-G-W-A coca leaf liqueur exported by a Dutch firm ... was seized from a
customs warehouse in northern Taoyuan county.

However, 60 cases have already been sold.

Police launched an investigation into the liqueur after a tip-off from a
consumer ... who claimed he felt unwell after drinking beverage at a pub.

Local reports say the alcohol has been very popular in nightclubs in southern
Taiwan.

The local importer, who has been reported saying the alcohol is sold legally
in the U.S., South Korea and India ... has been released on bail pending
further investigation.