Taiwan Detours for Butterflies

Taiwan offers 'freeway' for butterflies Sat Mar 24, 6:16 AM ET



TAIPEI, Taiwan - Taiwan will cordon off part of a highway to create a safe passage for a massive seasonal butterfly migration in the coming days, an official said Saturday.

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The milkweed butterflies — which are indigenous to the island off China and have distinct white dots on purple brown wings — migrate in late March from southern Taiwan to the north, where they lay eggs and die.

The young butterflies then fly south every November to a warm mountain valley near the southern city of Kaohsiung to escape the winter cold in the north.

Conservationists say Taiwan has about 2 million milkweed butterflies.

To protect the migrating butterflies, a 600-yard stretch of highway in southern Taiwan's Yunlin County will be sealed off in the coming days as the migration peaks, said Lee Tai-ming, head of the National Freeway Bureau.

Authorities will set up nets to make the butterflies fly higher and avoid passing cars, Lee said.

He said they will also install ultraviolet lights to guide the insects across a highway overpass.

Taiwan began the laborious task of tracking down the butterflies' 180-mile migration paths in recent years.

Taiwan originally had more types of milkweed butterflies, but the largest became extinct decades ago when they were routinely caught and made into specimens for sale, the newspaper said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070324/ap_on_sc/taiwan_butterfly_migration;_ylt=AjYIdbCm_vU9vT.hCMcbISrMWM0F

Taiwan opposed as OAS observer

Taiwan opposed as OAS observer　
Last Updated(Beijing Time):2004-06-08 09:27
The Chinese Government is firmly opposed to Taiwan's involvement in the Organization of American States (OAS) in any form or in any name, a Chinese official said on Sunday.
Under OAS regulations, only sovereign countries have the right to serve as OAS observers, Zeng Gang, China's Ambassador to Ecuador, said at a meeting between OAS members and its permanent observers during the 34th OAS General Assembly.
Taiwan, as a province of China, is not entitled to serve as an OAS observer, Zeng said.
The OAS already formally accepted China as its permanent observer on May 26.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in May that the OAS had agreed to place on the agenda of its next permanent council meeting the request of Taiwan for permanent observer status.
Zeng said China hopes all OAS members will abide by related resolutions and chapters of the United Nations and the OAS, respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as feelings of the 1.3-billion Chinese people.
He called on OAS countries to keep in mind the interests of their individual countries and the long-term development of Sino-OAS relations, and deal with the Taiwan issue with caution.
Zeng praised the OAS for its role in safeguarding regional peace and stability, boosting social advancement, co-ordinating regional affairs and promoting regional integrity.
Both China and the OAS have the will to further develop bilateral relations and mutually-beneficial co-operation, Zeng said, noting that the OAS' accepting China as its permanent member offered a new platform for further developing Sino-OAS relations.
China's new role in the OAS will enable China to contribute more to peace, stability and prosperity in America and the world as a whole, Zeng said, adding that China will honour its commitments and work for the benefit of all OAS members.
Founded in 1948, the Washington-based OAS brings together 34 countries in the Americas. It is the primary vehicle for resolving political differences in the region.
The 34th General Assembly of the OAS, held from Sunday to Tuesday, was expected to discuss corruption, regional security and co-operation.
Source:China Daily
http://en.ce.cn/main/National/t20040608_1027474.shtml