Photo courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsThe months-long struggle, dubbed the Love of Freedom Movement (自由之愛運動), didn’t end there. On Dec. 22, the second issue of the Love of Freedom campus publication called for complete reform of the university system, including freedom of assembly, academic freedom, university autonomy for professors and students and for complete government withdrawal from school affairs. This cover of a 1987 publication on the Love of Freedom movement depicts a student banner demanding university reform. Twelve major campus publications, including prestigious academic ones, issued a joint declaration of campus freedom of speech on Oct. 12 to show their support. Dejected, Love of Freedom leaders retreated back to campus, refocusing on gaining more clout with the student association.

Dated Thursday, the letter addressing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was signed by US representatives Michael McCaul, Steve Chabot and other Republicans. A sign outside the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington is pictured on Nov. 25. The US should extend that policy and change TECRO’s name to the “Taiwan Representative Office,” a more simple and accurate name, the letter says. The lawmakers also asked the US Department of State to raise “self-imposed guidelines” restricting bilateral relations, including where US officials are permitted to meet with TECRO diplomats. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) yesterday said that changing TECRO’s name does not require lawmakers to amend any law, adding that Taiwan respects the US’ internal procedures.

Taiwan-US deal on science and tech first concrete result of EPP DialogueBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterTaiwan and the US on Tuesday signed a scientific and technological cooperation agreement, the first concrete result of their Economic Prosperity Partnership (EPP) Dialogue last month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday. Wu said that he was joined in Taipei by AIT Director Brent Christensen, Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺) in witnessing the ceremony virtually. “This agreement provides a much needed legal structure for further collaboration to advance scientific research, unleash technological innovation, and ensure research integrity and intellectual property protection,” Christensen said in Mandarin. The agreement says that the nations might decide later to add other scientific and technological areas. The nations can invite third parties and international experts to join activities held under the agreement, it says.

ASE to raise wages, distribute extra bonusBy Lisa Wang / Staff reporterASE Technology Holding Co (ASE, 日月光投控), the world’s biggest chip tester and packager, yesterday said it is to raise employees’ monthly wages by between 3 and 5 percent for those in entry-level positions at its Kaohsiung fabs. It is also to give an extra bonus, or “red envelope,” of NT$10,000 (US$351) for each employee on top of their regular year-end bonuses, ASE said in a statement. It is to hold a job fair at its K11 fab in Kaohsiung’s Nanzih District (楠梓) tomorrow, ASE said. The global semiconductor industry’s growth used to be highly correlated to the expansion of the global economy, but this year would be an exception, Wu has said. The strong growth momentum is reflected in ASE’s record revenue last month, which increased 5.7 percent to NT$50.67 billion from NT$47.92 billion in October.

NPP calls on Taipower to stop LNG projectBy Wu Su-wei and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerNew Power Party (NPP) lawmakers yesterday called on Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) to cease development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Waimushan (外木山) in Keelung. The land reclamation project would greatly affect marine life and the livelihoods of fishers in the area, NPP Legislator Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Despite far-ranging consequences, Taipower has failed to provide its own comprehensive environmental assessment plans, Chen said. New Power Party legislators Chiu Hsien-chih, second left, and Chen Jiau-hua, second right, attend a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei TimesThe necessity of reclaiming 18.6 hectares of land for the receiving station is questionable, NPP Legislator Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said.

Taiwanese firms should look to Mexico: TEEMA‘STRATEGIC POSITION’: In addition to diversifying supply chains, building factories in Mexico makes reaching the US market easier, TEEMA’s chairman saidBy Angelica Oung / Staff reporterTaiwanese companies should look to Mexico to diversify their production exporting to the US market and enhance risk management in supply chains, Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (TEEMA, 台灣電子電機公會) chairman Richard Lee (李詩欽) said yesterday. Lee was speaking at the TEEMA Global Networking Forum, which focused on Mexico, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the EU as investment hotspots for Taiwanese businesses. “The advantage of manufacturing in Mexico is the proximity to the US market,” Lee said. Describing trade relations between Taiwan and the forum’s featured destination countries as “keen,” Lee said that TEEMA hopes to promote formal agreements to “solidify the strategic position” of Taiwanese companies hoping to invest there. Saying that most Taiwanese businesses that have found success in India supplied the local market, Lee encouraged Taiwanese businesses to see India as an emerging potential market rather than a manufacturing hub.

CIER raises GDP growth forecast to 3.73% for 2021SUSTAINABLE GROWTH: Stronger-than-expected exports are driving growth this year, while domestic demand would lift it next year, a CIER official saidStaff writer, with CNAThe Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) has adjusted upward its forecast for economic growth for this year and next year, with the strength in exports this year giving way to stronger domestic demand next year. CIER yesterday forecast that the economy would grow 2.38 percent this year and 3.73 percent next year, up from its October estimates of 1.76 percent and 3.42 percent respectively. Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research vice president Wang Jiann-chyuan is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: Wu Jia-ying, Taipei TimesThe economy’s higher-than-expected growth this year would largely be driven by robust exports, but the main engine of growth next year would shift to robust domestic demand and consumption, Wang said. At the same time, Taiwan should try to assist its companies in upgrading their operations and rebuilding their supply chains to align with global trends, helping to make businesses the pillars of the domestic economy, Wang said.

President Tsai Ing-wen sits in the cockpit of a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during a visit to the National Airborne Services Corps in Kaohsiung yesterday. Photo: Chang Yi-chen, Taipei TimesThe corps has a fourfold mission: disaster response, emergency response, medical evacuation and topographical survey. Corps personnel have heroically discharged their duties, Tsai said. The decision to go “heavy” was informed by budgetary concerns, aircraft payload capabilities, and the 3rd Brigade’s mission and area of responsibility, it added. The first helicopters were delivered in 2016 and deployed to the 2nd Brigade, while the 3rd Brigade’s six helicopters were that order’s final delivery.

Database vendor said to abet Chinese censorsStaff writer, with CNAA company providing access to an online database of academic theses and dissertations has been accused of cooperating with Chinese political censorship and content revisions. For example, it would be unreasonable if automated translation software changed every mention of “New Taiwan dollar” in a paper to “New Chinese Taipei dollar,” he said. The ministry would instruct universities and colleges to evaluate their database vendors, it said. Airiti (華藝) — the vendor in question — said in a statement on Wednesday that when it exports Taiwanese academic content, the content is in its original form. The company can only respect that a database subscriber chooses the content they need, the representative said.

AIT ire over Taichung public pork briefingLACK OF RESPECT? The Taichung City Government on Wednesday allegedly did not confer with AIT Director Brent Christensen before turning a closed-door meeting into a public briefing — especially as it included a severe critique of US pork imports. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) told Christensen in plain terms that she is opposed to the importation of US pork with traces of ractopamine. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen, front left, holds up domestically produced pork at a meeting in Taichung yesterday. AIT spokeswoman Amanda Mansour said in a statement that all US exports to Taiwan and other trade partners “are safe and meet the same high, evidence-based standards” as pork consumed in the US.

Qualcomm Inc senior vice president of manufacturing technology and operations Roawen Chen speaks at a virtual meeting yesterday. Devices supporting mmWave technology consume much more silicon content, or chips, than those for sub-6-gigahertz technology and 4G LTE technology, Chen said. “As Taiwan has the world’s most comprehensive [semiconductor] ecosystem, the mmWave technology will be a boon to the country,” he said. Such stations are different from traditional and closed-loop base stations designed by existing suppliers, Nokia Oyj, Ericsson AB and Huawei Technologies Inc (華為), Chen said. Telecoms have shown a stronger interest over the past six months in deploying O-RAN-based base stations due to their lower costs, Chen said.

Four more Moscow dancers test positiveCANCELED: While the troupe has been forced to cancel its tour, the minister of health and welfare said that people who test positive after a 14-day quarantine are not contagiousBy Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNAThe Moscow Classical Ballet canceled all planned performances in Taiwan after eight members of the troupe tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the tally of infected members to eight. The results for the four dancers returned positive on Wednesday, although none of them showed any symptoms. It has been adequately demonstrated that people who test positive after the full 14-day quarantine are not contagious, Chen said. The center could not force the troupe members to self-isolate after the first members’ test results returned positive for COVID-19, Chen said. Some of the troupe members had doubts about the COVID-19 test results and some wanted to leave Taiwan right away, udnFunLife chairman Lee Yen-fu (李彥甫) said.

NSC to boost information security with new systemBy Yang Chun-hui and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe National Security Council (NSC) is to bolster information security by strengthening its joint national-level security structure over the next year, establishing a data-driven proactive defense system, and securing the nation’s data channels and supply chains, NSC Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday. Fifth, the council would improve its “information and national security strategy 2.0” by implementing a proactive defense system to create a resilient and secure “smart nation,” Koo added. Information security is of paramount importance in nearly every segment of society, but it faces threats that increase by the day, Koo said. First, the NSC would focus on upgrading the national-level joint defense system and the team focused on information security, he said. Third, it would promote information security within industry, and support cybersecurity firms to enhance the nation’s independence and capabilities in the field, he added.

Central bank’s Yang says Taiwan’s interests come firstBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe central bank yesterday denied acting to unfairly boost Taiwan’s exports, as it attributed the nation’s widening trade surpluses with the US to the fallout from US-China trade tensions. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-long speaks at a news conference at the bank in Taipei yesterday. The US had exaggerated the sum in its report, based on external projections, while the central bank’s figures would be based on facts, he said. The central bank has no choice but to intervene in times of massive fund inflows, as on Nov. 30 when MSCI weighting adjustments took place, the governor said. The central bank would try to understand the US’ reasoning for its actions, but it has to give top priority to Taiwan’s currency and financial market stability, Yang said, adding that the US quantitative policy has eased the central bank’s headache.

However, many green iguanas were likely released into the wild by their owners as they grew to their full size of up to 1.5m. Captured green iguanas are pictured in Chiayi County on Tuesday. The bureau has rejected all applications for imports of green iguanas since June 2015 and assisted local governments in eradication efforts, Lo said. In September, green iguanas were labeled “exotic wildlife dangerous to the environment, people or animals,” and owners were required to register their pets. Native to Central and South America, the green iguana is considered an invasive species in 15 countries or regions.