The Macau Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei and Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Culture Office in Taipei will hold their launch ceremonies May 13 and 15, respectively. Zhang Yu, Macau’s secretary for social affairs and culture, and John Tsang Chun-weh, Hong Kong financial secretary, are slated to attend the events.
Taiwan’s Chung-hua Institution for Economic Research and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences signed a memorandum of understanding May 9 in Jakarta to study the feasibility of a bilateral economic cooperation agreement. The research is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Taijiang National Park Headquarters in the southern county of Tainan and Shanghai’s Chongming Dongtan Birds Nature Reserve concluded a cooperative agreement May 16. It marks the first pact between wetlands administrations across the strait.
ROC government efforts to improve cross-strait relations must adhere to the Constitution, safeguard sovereignty and dignity, and be in the best interests of the people, said Kao Koong-lian, vice chairman of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation, May 9 in Taipei City. They should also bolster mutual trust, deliver peace dividends, extend regional economic integration and build consensus in Taiwan, he added.
A Council of Labor Affairs human resources committee recommended May 9 that foreign students at Taiwan universities be allowed to work locally upon graduating if their salary exceeds NT$37,619 (US$1,281) per month. The current requirement is NT$47,971 and two years’ work experience. Another recommendation is to permit ROC citizens over 80 to hire foreign caregivers if they score 60 or less on the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living. At present, eligibility is restricted to those with a score of under 35 on the index, which measures functional ability in 10 items such as mobility, incontinence, feeding and grooming. (SB)