October 23, 2021

Open Society Urges Turkish President to Stop Efforts to Obscure the Facts in Kavala Case

New York, Oct. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Open Society Foundations urged the president of Turkey today to stop invoking George Soros’s name in an effort to obscure the facts around the case of Osman Kavala, the businessman and philanthropist who has spent four years in prison there on bogus charges.

In comments broadcast on Thursday, the Turkish president described Kavala as “Soros scum” after 10 Western countries, including the United States and Germany, urged Turkey to release him. He also compared Kavala’s four years behind bars to the treatment of “bandits, murders, and terrorists” in other countries.

“President Erdogan’s insulting language about George Soros, a man his government welcomed to Istanbul, is an effort to distract from the simple fact that Osman Kavala is innocent and should be released,” said Mark Malloch-Brown, president of the Open Society Foundations.

“These toxic comments from the president about a case currently before the courts are one more assault on Turkey’s supposedly independent legal system. We urge the Turkish authorities to free Osman now.”

Kavala was one of a number of leading Turkish figures who served on the advisory board of Open Society’s national foundation in Turkey before it closed down in 2018.

Kavala was originally arrested on charges of financing and organizing the anti-government Gezi protests in Istanbul in 2013. In February last year, a court acquitted him and other defendants of all the charges.

Kavala was subsequently released from prison but rearrested a few hours later—on new charges in connection with the 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan by military officers linked to the Islamist Gullenist movement, and espionage charges.

In January this year, an appeals court overturned the first acquittal. Kavala faces life in prison if convicted on the espionage charges.

Before its 2018 closure, Open Society’s Turkish foundation worked with a wide range of local partners. The foundation was closely involved in supporting Turkey in the long, and currently stalled, EU accession process. Its other priorities included strengthening education standards protecting women’s rights, combatting discrimination, and helping with the response to the Syrian refugee crisis.

All the activities of the Open Society Foundations in Turkey were regularly audited and approved by both the Ministry of the Interior and the General Directorate of Foundations.

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Open Society Foundations 
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October 23, 2021

PX Mart’s acquisition of RT-Mart could worry Carrefour: economist

A deal for Taiwanese supermarket chain PX Mart to acquire hypermarket operator RT-Mart could pose big challenges for Carrefour as the acquisition will help PX Mart extend its reach to the hypermarket business, according to an economist.

"The acquisition deal is expected to boost competition in Taiwan's hypermarket sector," Li Shyh-jane (???), deputy director-general of the Commerce Development Research Institute, said. "It is possible that Carrefour might get nervous."

On Friday night, PX Mart stunned the local retail industry by announcing it would acquire RT-Mart, with the acquisition expected to be completed in mid-2022.

In a statement, PX Mart said it will acquire RT Mart International Ltd. from France-based retailer Auchan and Taiwan-based conglomerate Ruentex Group.

The transaction will cover buildings and land owned by RT-Mart as well as its distribution rights and the self-developed RT-Mart brand, the statement said, but the deal still requires regulatory approval.

"RT-Mart is ahead of Carrefour in service technology innovations," Li said, referring to RT-Mart's digital payment applications, which have created a convenient environment for shoppers.

PX Mart already has its PXPay digital payment application in place by consolidating its online and offline customer bases through better use of technology to record customers' shopping habits, Li said.

"After PX Mart and RT-Mart integrate their digital resources, the combination could be extraordinary," Li added.

Li said the acquisition deal is expected to create synergy for PX Mart.

"PX Mart and RT-Mart are complementary to each other and each of them has a different customer base, so the combination is expected to help PX Mart broaden its customer portfolio," Li said.

However it will still take some time to observe whether the integration process for PX Mart and RT-Mart will proceed smoothly, added Li.

Found in 1998, PX Mart is the largest supermarket chain in Taiwan with 1,056 outlets nationwide, and expects sales for this year to hit NT$150 billion (US$5.36 billion).

Earlier this year, PX Mart opened a 4,000-ping (13,200 square meters) flagship store in Taipei's Nangang District, moving it one step forward toward a goal of running large-sized stores.

The supermarket chain has a plan to boost its outlet numbers to 1,100 in 2021 and push its revenue up to more than NT$160 billion. RT-Mart has 22 outlets in Taiwan, making it the second-largest hypermarket chain in Taiwan after Carrefour.

After acquiring Wellcome Taiwan Co. Ltd, which operated supermarket chains Wellcome and Jasons Market Place in Taiwan, last year, Carrefour has a total of 354 outlets around the country, expecting sales for 2021 to hit NT$90 billion.

PX Mart did not provide any financial details about the acquisition, but Ruentex Group subsidiaries Ruentex Development Co. and Ruentex Industries Ltd. said in a statement released on Friday that they will sell their stakes in RT Mart International for NT$1.303 billion each.

Ruentex Development and Ruentex Industries said they are expecting to book gains of NT$1.175 billion and NT$1.151 billion, respectively, on the sale.

According to Ruentex Development and Ruentex Industries, RT-Mart's book value per share is NT$25.48.

Industry sources said the consideration of the acquisition could top NT$13 billion.

In an internal letter to RT-Mart's employees, Edgard Bonte, head of Auchan, said the deal is part of his group's global strategy, which was adjusted in March 2020 to dispose of its "nonstrategic" assets. In October 2020, Auchan withdrew from the China market.

Bonte praised PX Mart as a capable and professional retail business operator, saying he has faith that the new owner will raise RT-Mart's competitive edge.

After the acquisition, Auchan, which currently owns a stake of about 65 percent in RT-Mart, is likely to withdraw from the Asian market, market analysts said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

October 23, 2021

Former lawmaker Ju Gau-jeng dies at 67

Former lawmaker Ju Gau-jeng (???), who was known for taking the first swing at a legislative speaker in 1988 and his aggressive ways while serving in the Legislature between 1987 and 1999, died at the age of 67 on Friday, according to his former colleague Lin Cheng-chieh (???).

"Ju Gau-jeng, a warship for democracy, died some time after 7 p.m. In Taiwan's democracy movement, Ju Gau-jeng made a significant contribution," Lin wrote in a Facebook post Friday evening. "Rest in peace, comrade."

Ju died of bowel cancer at Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital.

The disruption caused by Ju in the Legislature, Lin said, played a key role in forcing the retirement of some lawmakers who had been serving after the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan in 1949.

Those lawmakers, who reconvened in Taipei in 1950, and others elected in subsequent years in Taiwan, including Ju, had all been serving under the first term of the Legislature, before the elections for the second term was held in 1992.

Former Legislator Yu Ching (??) also shared Lin's view about Ju's role in pushing for the full re-election of lawmakers. He told CNA Friday that he appreciated Ju's call to form a new political party when opposition politicians gathered at the Grand Hotel Taipei on Sept. 28, 1986.

The gathering resulted in the founding of the current ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Later that year, Ju, who ran as an independent, was first elected as a legislator from Yulin County, where he was born on Oct. 6, 1954. He was sworn in for a three-year term in 1987.

He soon grabbed the nation's attention with his physical conflicts against lawmakers of the then-ruling Kuomintang (KMT), including taking a swing at speaker Liu Kwo-tsai (???), and actions such as jumping onto the podium and tearing down microphones.

After his re-election in December 1989, Ju left the DPP because of his disagreement with the party's direction of moving toward supporting Taiwan's independence in 1990, and set up his own party in 1991.

His party later merged with the New Party in 1994, with Ju being nominated for the first and only direct election of the governor of Taiwan Province. He lost to the KMT candidate James Soong (???) that year.

Ju won another three-year term as a New Party candidate in Kaohsiung in 1995, but he was kicked out of the party for defaming other party members in 1997 and lost his re-election bid in 1998.

The former lawmaker, who held a doctoral degree in philosophy from the University of Bonn in Germany, then moved away from politics and began visiting China to give speeches on Chinese philosophers such as Lao Zi (??) and Zuang Zi (??).

Ju's wife passed away in 2008, and he lost his eldest son in a car accident last year.

According to DPP Legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (???), Ju decided not to receive chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with cancer and they had a meal when Ju's health improved.

Ju later fell into a coma once because of his illness, but was determined to fight until the last second, Ker told CNA.

No funeral arrangements have been announced as yet.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

October 23, 2021

Jane Goodall to give Tang Prize lecture Nov. 20

Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall will give a Tang Prize lecture Nov. 20, part of a two-day online program featuring expert talks on law, science and Sinology.

Viewers will be able to watch the lectures and Tang Prize awards ceremony live on the Tang Foundation's website and YouTube channel.

The 4th edition of the awards recognizes notable contributions in the fields of sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology, and rule of law.

At 10 a.m. on Nov. 20, Professor Wang Gungwu (???), winner of the Sinology prize for his "ground-breaking research on the Chinese world order, Chinese overseas, and Chinese migratory experience," will deliver a lecture entitled: "From Wei to Shi: China's Road" (?????????).

Following the virtual awards ceremony, sustainable development laureate Goodall will speak at 5 p.m. on "Reasons for Hope."

Goodall was honored for "her ground-breaking discovery in primatology that redefines human-animal relationship and for her lifelong unparalleled dedication to the conservation of Earth's environment," according to organizers.

Goodall's talk is then scheduled to be followed by talks from the three rule-of-law laureates, who are being recognized "for their efforts in furthering the rule of law and its institutions through education and advocacy," according to organizers.

First up is the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association lecture at 7:30 p.m. on the "Impact of PIL (Public Interest Litigation)."

This will be followed at 8 p.m. by a lecture on "Public Interest Litigation in Undemocratic Arab Contexts: Lessons from The Legal Agenda Experiences" from a representative of The Legal Agenda.

The final speaker of Nov. 20 will be two members from Dejusticia: The Center for Law, Justice and Society, with a presentation centered around "Strategic Litigation, Democracy, and Social Justice: A Perspective from Dejusticia and Global South" at 8:45 p.m.

Nov. 27 will see talks from the Tang Prize's three biopharmaceutical laureates, who have been recognized for "their development of cytokine-targeting biological therapies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases."

The program will begin with Dr. Charles Dinarello's lecture on "Interleukin-1, the Prime Mediator of Systemic and Local Inflammation" at 4 p.m., followed by Dr. Marc Feldmann on "Translating Molecular Insights in Autoimmunity into Effective Therapy" at 5 p.m., with Dr. Tadamitsu Kishimo sharing his insights on "Interleukin-6: from Arthritis to CAR-T and COVID-19" at 6 p.m. to close out the day.

The 4th Tang Prize awards were originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but were delayed due to COVID-19 concerns.

An independent selection committee organized by Taiwan's Academia Sinica is responsible for the nomination and selection of the award winners.

With this year's event being held virtually, the Tang Prize Foundation said it encourages anyone interested in the research fields of its laureates to tune in.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

October 23, 2021

Chen Po-wei becomes first legislator in Taiwan to lose recall vote

Legislator Chen Po-wei (???) of the pro-independence Taiwan Statebuilding Party lost a recall election in Taichung's second district Saturday.

Chen is the first legislator in Taiwan's history to lose a recall election.

The recall campaign had been initiated by Yang Wen-yuan (???), a voter from Chen's district who had voted for the incumbent legislator in 2020.

Yang accused Chen of failing his constituents by "behaving outrageously in Legislature" and supporting the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) lifting of a ban on U.S. pork imports containing the livestock drug ractopamine.

The China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT), the largest opposition party in the Legislature, had supported the recall of Chen, while the pro-independence DPP had campaigned in the legislator's favor.

A total of 77,899 voted to recall Chen, surpassing the threshold of 73,744, or one quarter of 294,976 eligible voters in the second electoral district of Taichung, which covers the areas of Shalu, Longjing, Dadu, Wuri and Wufeng, according to the Taichung City Election Commission.

Ballots supporting the recall topped 73,433 placed against the recall, the threshold required for the recall vote to prevail, according to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act.

The turnout stood at 51.72 percent, according to the city election commission.

The recall election was triggered after a petition started by Yang obtained enough signatures and secured approval from the Central Election Commission (CEC) on July 2.

Originally scheduled for Aug. 28, the vote was delayed by 56 days due to an outbreak of domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases in mid-May.

While Chen is the first member of the Legislature to be recalled, there has been a number of successful campaigns at local government level after a 2016 amendment to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act lowered the threshold for removal.

There were two recent successful recall votes before Chen's removal.

In June 2020, then-incumbent KMT Mayor of Kaohsiung Han Kuo-yu (???) was ousted months after a failed bid for Taiwan's presidency. Taoyuan City Councillor Wang Hao-yu (???) of the DPP was removed from office after losing a January 2021 recall election in Jhongli.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel