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The 2018 groundbreaking ceremony of Foxconn's Wisconsin plant, with Terry Gou (right), U.S. President Donald Trump (center) and then-WIsconsin Gov...
 The 2018 groundbreaking ceremony of Foxconn's Wisconsin plant, with Terry Gou (right), U.S. President Donald Trump (center) and then-WIsconsin Governor Scott Walker
 (AP photo)

 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Foxconn Technology Group, known as the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronic products, is discussing plans with Medtronic Plc of the United States to make ventilators at its new Wisconsin plant to help with the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

While known for turning out Apple iPhones and other popular consumer electronics, Foxconn has already been involved in the production of surgical masks, most recently at a factory near its headquarters in Tucheng, New Taipei City, and at affiliate Sharp’s plants in Japan, CNA reported.

The new factory in Wisconsin, once hailed as a top new manufacturing site for electronics in the United States, will play a part in the ventilator project, according to Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak. The plant has been the focus of criticism amid doubts about Foxconn’s promises of jobs.

Foxconn Founder Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) office said the Taiwanese company was cooperating with Medtronic to design and develop ventilators, with medical and design experts from both companies sitting down together on the project, the Reuters news agency reported.

The intention was to speed up the process so the ventilators could soon reach patients to save them from the coronavirus, according to the statement from Gou’s office. The U.S. has confirmed more than 400,000 virus cases, including more than 12,000 deaths.

journalist: By Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

title: Taiwan’s Foxconn to produce ventilators at Wisconsin plant


content_text:
A man jogs in the morning in the Rheinauhafen in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia Wednesday, April 8, 2020. To contain the coronavirus, NRW has banned ...
 A man jogs in the morning in the Rheinauhafen in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia Wednesday, April 8, 2020. To contain the coronavirus, NRW has banned all accumulations of three or more people in public. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP)

 A member of Indonesian Red Cross stand on the back of a truck and spray disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus outbreak at a nei...
 A member of Indonesian Red Cross stand on the back of a truck and spray disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus outbreak at a neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia,Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.(AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

 Members of Indonesian Red Cross stand on the back of a truck and spray disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of new coronavirus outbreak at a ...
 Members of Indonesian Red Cross stand on the back of a truck and spray disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of new coronavirus outbreak at a neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia,Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

 Stranded British citizens wait for a bus to take them to the Tribhuvan International airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Nepal, hom...
 Stranded British citizens wait for a bus to take them to the Tribhuvan International airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Nepal, home to the highest mountains and hiking trails, is popular with tourists during the spring season when the weather is favorable for climbing. Thousands of tourists are believed to be stranded in Nepal since the government ordered a complete lockdown that halted all flights and road travel to prevent the spread of the virus. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

 A man wearing face mask to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus walks through deserted Nakamise alley in Asakusa, Tokyo, Wednesday, April...
 A man wearing face mask to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus walks through deserted Nakamise alley in Asakusa, Tokyo, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared Tuesday a monthlong state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures because of a spike of infections in the country with the world's oldest population. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

 A volunteer from military backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) spray disinfectant to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in a stree...
 A volunteer from military backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) spray disinfectant to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in a street in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

 A members of Indonesian Red Cross stands on the back of a truck and sprays disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of new coronavirus outbreak a...
 A members of Indonesian Red Cross stands on the back of a truck and sprays disinfectant in an attempt to curb the spread of new coronavirus outbreak at a neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

 A security officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in...
 A security officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A man donates cash to a Buddhist monk wearing face mask and gloves as they collect morning alms in a street in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, April 8, 20...
 A man donates cash to a Buddhist monk wearing face mask and gloves as they collect morning alms in a street in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

 A worker helps to offload medical equipment from China at Benito Juarez airport in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 7, 2020. The flight was the first to Me...
 A worker helps to offload medical equipment from China at Benito Juarez airport in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 7, 2020. The flight was the first to Mexico from Shanghai with complementary medical equipment to help health care personnel face the new coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province, in red, embraces a colleague from Wuhan as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Air...
 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province, in red, embraces a colleague from Wuhan as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province reacts as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's H...
 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province reacts as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A worker assists travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuha...
 A worker assists travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 NEW YORK (AP) — As New York City faced one of its darkest days with the death toll from the coronavirus surging past 4,000 — more than the number killed on 9/11 — the Chinese city where the global pandemic began lifted its final restrictions on movement Wednesday as deaths there plummeted.
 The tale of two cities came as the coronavirus crisis continued to strain health care systems from Europe to North America, roil global stock markets, and strand international travelers behind closed borders. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained in intensive care, the first major world leader confirmed to have COVID-19.
 Despite the staggering death toll in America's largest city, authorities in New York were optimistic that the outbreak might finally be easing, as has been seen in other global hot spots such as Italy and Spain and before that, China. Health officials, however, warned people not to let their guard down.
 The virus toll in New York City is now more than 1,000 deaths higher than that of the deadliest terro attack on U.S. soil, which killed 2,753 people in the city and 2,977 overall.
 After recording more than 500 deaths a day since late last week, New York state recorded 731 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, its biggest one-day jump yet, for a statewide toll of nearly 5,500, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
 “Behind every one of those numbers is an individual. There’s a family, there’s a mother, there’s a father, there’s a sister, there’s a brother. So a lot of pain again today for many New Yorkers,” Cuomo said.
 In an encouraging sign, the governor said hospital admissions and the number of people receiving breathing tubes are dropping. And the death toll itself is a “lagging indicator,” reflecting people who had been hospitalized before this week, he said.
 But he warned that gains are dependent on people continuing to practice social distancing.
 “It still depends on what we do, and what we do will affect those numbers,” he said.
 In Wuhan — the Chinese city of 11 million that was the first in the world to go on lockdown — tens of thousands of people streamed out of town by plane and train alone as harsh restrictions on movement were finally lifted. Citizens waved flags and the city staged a light show with skyscrapers and bridges radiating animated images of health workers aiding patients.
 Restrictions in the city where most of China’s more than 82,000 virus cases and over 3,300 deaths were reported have been gradually eased in recent weeks as the number of new cases steadily declined. The government reported no new cases Wednesday, though there have been questions about the veracity of China's count.
 “I haven’t been outside for more than 70 days,” said an emotional Tong Zhengkun, who was watching the display. Residents in his apartment complex had contracted the virus so they couldn’t go out even to buy groceries, which neighborhood workers delivered.
 “Being indoors for so long drove me crazy,” he said.
 In London, the 55-year-old Johnson was in stable condition and conscious at a hospital, where he was receiving oxygen but was not on a ventilator, officials said. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was designated to run the country in the meantime.
 “I’m confident he’ll pull through because if there’s one thing I know about this prime minister, he’s a fighter," Raab said.
 Deaths in Britain reached nearly 6,200, after a one-day increase of almost 800.
 In France, the number of dead climbed to more than 10,300, said Jerome Salomon, national health director.
 “We are in the epidemic’s ascendant stage,” he said. “We have not yet reached the peak."
 In other European hot spots, authorities saw signs that the outbreak was turning a corner, based on slowdowns in new deaths and hospitalizations.
 In Spain, new deaths Tuesday rose to 743 and infections climbed by 5,400 after five days of declines, but the increases were believed to reflect a weekend backlog. Authorities said they were confident in the downward trend.
 In Italy, the hardest-hit country of all with over 17,000 deaths, authorities appealed to people ahead of Easter weekend not to lower their guard and to abide by a lockdown now in its fifth week, even as new cases dropped to a level not seen since the early weeks of the outbreak.
 On Wall Stock street Tuesday, a strong rally propelled by signs that the outbreak may be leveling off evaporated after the price of crude oil suddenly fell. Stocks ended the day slightly lower. Asian markets followed mostly lower Wednesday.
 Across the U.S., the death toll topped 12,900, with nearly 400,000 confirmed infections. Some of the deadliest hot spots were Detroit, New Orleans and the New York metropolitan area, which includes parts of Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.
 In Wisconsin, after a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, voters were asked to ignore a stay-at-home order to participate in its presidential primary.
 Meanwhile, President Donald Trump threatened to freeze U.S. funding to the World Health Organization, saying the international group had “missed the call” on the pandemic.
 Trump said the international group had “called it wrong” on the virus and that the organization was “very China-centric” in its approach, suggesting that the WHO had gone along with Beijing’s efforts months ago to minimize the severity of the outbreak.
 The virus continued to affect global travel, and cruise ships in particular. More than half of the 217 people on a ship off Uruguay's coast tested positive for the coronavirus. The Australian operator of the Greg Mortimer ship said all of the cases were asymptomatic and it was working to disembark the crew and passengers — many from Australia, Europe and the U.S. — and arrange their return home.
 Worldwide, about 1.4 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 82,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are almost certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different rules for counting the dead and deliberate underreporting by some governments.
 For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia. About 300,000 people have recovered worldwide, by Johns Hopkins’ count.
 ___
 Blake reported from Bangkok. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed.
 ___
 Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

journalist: By MARINA VILLENEUVE AND CHRIS BLAKE , Associated Press, Associated Press

title: New York's virus toll tops 9/11, while Wuhan ends lockdown


content_text:
Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus sit on motorcycles near a toll gate for vehicles entering and exit...
 Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus sit on motorcycles near a toll gate for vehicles entering and exiting Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stand near a toll gate for vehicles entering and exiting Wuhan in ...
 Police officers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stand near a toll gate for vehicles entering and exiting Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing face masks and rain coats to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk outside of Hankou train station after of the resump...
 Passengers wearing face masks and rain coats to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk outside of Hankou train station after of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus board the first high-speed train to leave Hankou train station after th...
 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus board the first high-speed train to leave Hankou train station after the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, April 7, 2020, in Washington. ...
 President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, April 7, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

 The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
 TOP OF THE HOUR:
 — Japan's economy headed to record 25% contraction, according to Goldman Sachs
 — Hostess bars, night clubs, discos in Seoul shut down amid concerns over virus transmissions.
 — Japan PM Abe urges cooperation with state of emergency in six prefectures
 — Approximately 65,000 leave Wuhan as 11-week lockdown ends
 — Venezuela president orders all infected with coronavirus to be hospitaized
 ___
 TOKYO — Japan’s economy is headed to a record 25% contraction in the current quarter, even with the just announced government fiscal aid package, as the new coronavirus slams consumer spending and business growth, Goldman Sachs said Wednesday.
 The dismal report by economists Naohiko Baba and Yuriko Tanaka said exports are expected to dive by 60% in the April-June period.
 The contraction for the world’s third largest economy would be a record, since GDP, or gross domestic product, began to be tracked in 1955, according to the report.
 The measures in Japan to curtail the spread of the pandemic don’t carry penalties, and public transportation continues to run. The declaration of a state of emergency centers around requests to work from home, and for department stores, restaurants and events to shut down. Grocery stores and banks remain open.
 The report says the declaration “will meaningfully change the behavior of individuals, business owners and event organizers.”
 The government announced a 108 trillion yen ($1 trillion) rescue package, but the report estimates the perk to GDP will total only 14 trillion yen ($130 billion), from the cash handouts to needy families and monetary help to small businesses.
 The report doesn’t take a view on the outbreak’s future. But it says Japan’s economic activity will likely recover with the third quarter as overseas economies pick up and will “gradually normalize” next year, picking up with the postponed Olympics held in the summer. Japan’s GDP is expected to grow 3.1% in 2021, it said.
 ___
 SEOUL, South Korea --- The South Korean capital of Seoul has shut down more than 400 hostess bars, night clubs and discos amid concerns over coronavirus transmissions.
 The measures announced by Mayor Park Won-soon on Wednesday came a day after two female bar employees were found to have contracted the coronavirus after one of them contacted a pop-star customer who also tested positive, triggering public calls for stronger controls on entertainment venues.
 Park says the temporary gathering bans imposed on the 422 venues through April 19 will shut down all such businesses in the city for now as 1,700 others had already closed or suspended operations under the city’s anti-virus recommendations.
 Park says officials have placed 118 of the bar employees’ contacts under self-quarantine and are testing them for COVID-19. So far, 18 of them have tested negative.
 The singer, Yoon Hak, of the K-pop boy band Supernova, had visited the southern Seoul bar in late March before testing positive on April 1.
 South Korea’s government has shut schools and issued social-distancing guidelines for the public to slow the spread of the virus, but has not enforced lockdowns or broad business closures.
 ___
 TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeated his request to the people to stay home and cooperate Wednesday, the day after he declared a monthlong state of emergency to Tokyo and six other prefectures.
 The measure allows Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and her counterparts in six prefectures to issue stricter requests to the residents to stay home and businesses and organizations to shut down, though there will be no penalties to violators.
 “I hear many company workers are switching to working from home. Only your cooperation can allow us to get out of the state of emergency in a month,” Abe said. He asked everyone to reduce interactions with people by up to 80%.
 Abe has been criticized for being too slow to take significant steps over concerns about the Tokyo Olympics and a possibility of a severe economic impact from social distancing measures. Abe said Tuesday he took the measure as a surge of untraceable cases has made Japan’s strategy of cluster analysis difficult and medical systems were facing a risk of collapsing
 Japan’s health ministry on Wednesday, said 351 new cases were reported from around the country, bringing the national total of the virus infections to 4,257 with 81 deaths. Tokyo alone had 80 cases for a prefectural total of 1,196.
 ___
 SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea plans to take further steps to tighten border controls to slow coronavirus infections imported from abroad as outbreaks worsen in Europe and the United States.
 South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun during an anti-virus meeting on Wednesday said Seoul will suspend visa-free entries and visa waivers with countries imposing entry bans on South Korean nationals and employ further restrictions to repel foreigners traveling on “unnecessary and non-urgent purposes.”
 Officials were expected to formally announce the measures later Wednesday.
 South Korea has been enforcing two-week quarantines on all passengers arriving from abroad since April 1.
 South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday reported 53 new cases of the coronavirus and 8 more deaths, bringing national totals to 10,384 infections and 200 fatalities.
 At least 832 infections have been linked to passengers arriving from abroad, with most of the cases detected in the past three weeks in the densely populous Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of South Korea’s 51 million people live.
 ___
 BEIJING — Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, roughly 65,000 people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports.
 Highways, bridges and tunnels were also opened, allowing thousands of more to exit by car and bus, as long as they were able to show a mandatory smartphone application powered by a mix of data-tracking and government surveillance shows they are healthy and have not been in recent contact with anyone confirmed to have the virus.
 Despite the new freedom, many prevention measures remain in force in the city and those leaving Wuhan — the epicenter of the global pandemic — face numerous hurdles when arriving at their destinations elsewhere. That includes being required to undergo 14-day quarantines and submit to nucleic acid tests.
 China on Wednesday reported 62 new virus cases, 59 of them brought from outside the country, and two additional deaths.
 The country where the virus first emerged now has recorded 3,333 deaths and 81,802 total cases, with 1,190 people remaining in treatment, 189 in serious condition. Another 83 suspected cases and 1,095 people who have tested positive but show no symptoms remain under isolation and monitoring.
 ___
 CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has ordered anybody sick with the new coronavirus to be hospitalized in a measure aimed at stopping the illness from spreading.
 Maduro said Tuesday he fears that people can too easily catch the illness from relatives living together. Until now, patients showing mild symptoms were mostly told to stay at home in isolation.
 So far officials in Maduro’s government have confirmed 166 cases with seven deaths.
 The first cases of the virus were announced in mid-March, and Maduro quickly ordered the entire nation to stay home on quarantine. Schools were closed and international flights suspended.
 Medical workers fear the coronavirus could spread in the crisis-stricken nation with many hospitals lacking basics like soap and water.
 ___
 Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

journalist: By The Associated Press, Associated Press

title: The Latest: Report: Japan's economy to shrink by record 25%


content_text:
FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, Masters champion Nick Faldo acknowledges the gallery at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. ...
 FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, Masters champion Nick Faldo acknowledges the gallery at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Faldo came from behind to beat Greg Norman by five strokes to win his third Masters. It was voted the 5th-best Masters by a panel of writers (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

 FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, Greg Norman falls to the ground after missing his shot for an eagle on the 15th hole during final r...
 FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, Greg Norman falls to the ground after missing his shot for an eagle on the 15th hole during final round play of the 1996 Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Norman became the only player to lose a six-shot lead in a major. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

 FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, England's Nick Faldo, right, and Australia's Greg Norman walk off the 18th after Faldo won his third...
 FILE - In this Sunday, April 14, 1996 file photo, England's Nick Faldo, right, and Australia's Greg Norman walk off the 18th after Faldo won his third Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. It was voted 5th-best Masters from a panel of golf writer (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

 A panel of 15 golf writers was asked to vote on the best Masters. Stories about those tournaments are being republished this week because the Masters has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 1996 Masters was voted No. 5. The following story was published on April 14, 1996.
 ___
 By RON SIRAK
 AP Golf Writer
 AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Greg Norman simply found history too heavy to carry over the rolling hills and treacherous greens of Augusta National Golf Club.
 For the sixth time, Norman took a lead into the final round of one of the Grand Slam events only to lose. But none was as shocking nor as complete as the unraveling that began on the ninth hole at the Masters and ended in the water in front of the 12th green.
 In that four-hole stretch, Norman went from three strokes ahead to two behind, enabling Nick Faldo to play the kind of golf he does best — methodical, precise, controlled.
 “I screwed up. I really screwed up,” Norman said after his shocking 78 on Sunday squandered a six-stroke lead, the biggest collapse in major championship history, and gave Faldo his third green jacket.
 “It was all my mistakes today,” Norman said. “But it’s not the end of the world.”
 Faldo, whose 67 was the day’s best score, ended the round with a birdie on the last hole and an embrace for Norman.
 “I honestly and genuinely feel bad for Greg,” Faldo said. “I just wanted to give him a hug. What he has been through is horrible.”
 By making up six shots on the final day, Faldo staged the third greatest comeback in major championship history. Jackie Burke came from eight strokes back in the 1956 Masters.
 But no one ever went into the final round of a major championship with a six-stroke lead and lost.
 “Maybe these hiccups that I have, that I inflict on myself, are meant for another reason,” Norman said. “Maybe something good is waiting for me down the line.”
 If there is any course where such a lead can be squandered and ground made up quickly, it is Augusta National under the intense pressure of a final-round Sunday at the Masters.
 “It’s the most nerve-wracking course in the world,” Faldo said. “It’s as simple as that.”
 Faldo finished at 12-under-par 276, five strokes ahead of Norman and six better than Phil Mickelson. But the only two players on the course who really mattered were Faldo and Norman.
 It was reminiscent of the third-round confrontation between Faldo and Norman at the 1990 British Open at St. Andrews. Playing together, they started the day tied and Faldo beat him 67 to 76 and went on to win the championship.
 Norman would have needed only an even-par round in the final round to win.
 “Obviously, I didn’t play as well as I could,” Norman said. “Things didn’t go my way. Nick played solid and steady and it was all my mistakes.”
 While Norman, who has finished second in a major championship eight times, had to carry that history with him, Faldo had the comfort of his past successes.
 In 1989, Faldo trailed Scott Hoch by three strokes going to the back nine at Augusta and won in a playoff. The next year he trailed Raymond Floyd by two strokes going to the last nine and again won in a playoff.
 Now, only Jack Nicklaus with six and Arnold Palmer with four have won more Masters than Faldo and only 10 players in the long history of golf have won more major titles.
 It was Faldo’s first victory in a major since the 1992 British Open.
 Faldo got into the spirit of the showdown between the two dominant golfers of the last decade on the first hole when he chose to putt out from 2 feet rather than marking, putting added pressure on Norman’s 4-foot par putt. He missed.
 Faldo got within three strokes with a 22-foot birdie on No. 8, then Norman fell apart.
 He spun his approach shot back off the ninth green and missed a 10-foot par putt after a poor chip. He missed another 10-footer for par on No. 10 after missing the green left and three putted No. 11, missing the par putt from 30 inches.
 Then on No. 12, for the second straight day, Norman left his tee shot short in Rae's Creek. While he was able to recover for a great bogey on Saturday, this time he made a 5.
 “I just pushed it,” Norman said. “But the only shots I’d like to have again are the approach on No. 9 and the chip on 10.”
 Faldo was content to make pars during this stretch and pulled two ahead.
 “I had to put my head down and grind as hard as I could,” Faldo said.
 Both players birdied the two par 5s, Nos. 13 and 15. Then Norman ended any chance he had when he hit into the water on the par-3 16th hole.
 Faldo finished his fabulous day by making a birdie on No. 18 from out of the fairway bunker.
 The previous biggest blown lead in the Masters occurred when Ed Sneed took a five-stroke lead into the final round of the 1979 Masters, won by Fuzzy Zoeller in a playoff with Sneed and Tom Watson.
 After a record-tying 63 in the first round and then two gutsy middle rounds of 69 and 71, it looked as if Norman would take a big step toward shedding a reputation started a decade ago when he led all four of the majors going to the final round and won only one.
 Since that notorious Saturday Slam in 1986, Norman has been branded as someone at his best only in a runaway, of not having a swing that holds up under pressure.
 Norman led the ’86 Masters by a stroke entering the final round but finished a stroke behind Jack Nicklaus, who closed with a 65. Norman still had a chance going to the last hole but bogeyed when he hit his 4-iron approach into the gallery well right of the green.
 The next year he lost the Masters in a playoff when Larry Mize holed a 140-foot chip on the second playoff hole. Last year, Norman needed a birdie on No. 17 to move into a tie for the lead but pulled a simple 90-yard sand wedge 45 feet left of the hole and three-putted.
 Norman’s worst previous collapse was in the 1986 PGA Championship when he led by four going to Sunday, shot a 76 and finished two behind Bob Tway.
 Stuck at only two majors — the 1986 and ’93 British Opens — and never having won one in the United States, golf’s greatest money winner still is deemed an underachiever.
 Nowhere was that more pronounced than at the Masters where he has now finished in the top six eight times without winning and had a four-year stretch from 1986-89 where he finished second, second, fifth and third.
 None, however, could have been as painful as this one.
 ___
 The panel of voters: Jeff Babineau, Morning Read; Michael Bamberger, golf.com; Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post; Iain Carter, BBC; Steve DiMeglio, USA Today; Doug Ferguson, Associated Press; Bob Harig, espn.com; Rex Hoggard, golfchannel.com; Derek Lawrenson, The Daily Mail; Tod Leonard, golfdigest.com; Jim Litke, Associated Press; Jim McCabe, pgatour.com; Bill Pennington, New York Times: Dave Shedloski, golfdigest.com; John Strege, golfdigest.com.

title: AP Was There: Faldo wins a Masters known for Shark tanking


content_text:
In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects Palestinian laborers to help contain the coronavi...
 In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects Palestinian laborers to help contain the coronavirus, as they exit an Israeli army checkpoint after returning from work in Israel, near the West Bank village of Nilin, west of Ramallah. The virus outbreak poses a major dilemma for tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers working inside Israel who can no longer freely travel back and forth. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

 In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects Palestinian laborers to help contain the coronavi...
 In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects Palestinian laborers to help contain the coronavirus, as they exit an Israeli army checkpoint after returning from work in Israel, near the West Bank village of Nilin, west of Ramallah. The virus outbreak poses a major dilemma for tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers working inside Israel who can no longer freely travel back and forth. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

 In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects car parts carried by a Palestinian laborer, to he...
 In this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 photo, a paramedic from the Palestinian Ministry of Health disinfects car parts carried by a Palestinian laborer, to help contain the coronavirus, as he exits an Israeli army checkpoint after returning from work in Israel, near the West Bank village of Nilin, west of Ramallah. The virus outbreak poses a major dilemma for tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers working inside Israel who can no longer freely travel back and forth. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

 RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — At the construction site in Tel Aviv, Jamal Salman and the other Palestinian workers wore gloves and masks, and their employer provided apartments for them to stay overnight.
 But his wife, alarmed by the news about the coronavirus outbreak in Israel, called him every night from the West Bank, begging him to come home. He came back early this week.
 Now he sits alone in his basement all day, quarantined from his wife and five children and wondering how he'll make ends meet. In Tel Aviv he earned $1,500 a month, enough to support his family. Now he's unemployed.
 “Coronavirus is like an all-out war," he said. “Everyone is suffering.”
 The coronavirus outbreak poses a dilemma for tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers working inside Israel who are now barred from traveling back and forth. They can stay in Israel, where wages are much higher but the outbreak is more severe, or they can return home to quarantine and unemployment in the West Bank.
 Authorities on both sides are wrestling with similar trade-offs as they confront a virus that blithely ignores the barriers erected over the course of the decades-old conflict.
 Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority imposed sweeping lockdowns in mid-March, largely sealing off the occupied West Bank and heavily restricting travel within the territory.
 But the laborers were allowed to remain in Israel, where many work in construction and agriculture — sectors deemed essential to the economy.
 Palestinians can earn much higher wages in Israel than in the West Bank, where economic development has been hindered by more than a half-century of Israeli military rule. Many support extended families, and their income is vital to the local economy.
 Israel and the Palestinian Authority initially agreed that the workers could remain in Israel for up to two months as long as they didn't travel back and forth.
 It was left to Israeli employers to provide living facilities for the workers, some of whom were largely left to fend for themselves. The Associated Press spoke to workers last month who left their construction site after several days of living in close quarters, with little if any protective equipment.
 Many have chosen to go back to the West Bank, and more were expected to return ahead of the Passover holiday in Israel, when work grinds to a halt. But their return to the West Bank poses a major risk, both to public health and to the Palestinian economy.
 The Palestinian Authority, which has reported around 250 cases and one fatality, says 73% of the infections have been linked to workers returning from Israel, which is battling a much larger outbreak. Israel has more than 9,200 confirmed cases, including at least 65 fatalities.
 Last week, Israel sent around 250 Palestinian workers back to the West Bank after a virus outbreak at a chicken slaughterhouse near Jerusalem, where nine workers tested positive.
 “With the borders closed, and no tourists or travelers, the only remaining source for coronavirus infections is Israel, where the outbreak is huge,” said Dr. Kamal al-Shakhra, an official in the Palestinian Health Ministry.
 The Palestinian Authority is stopping workers after they cross through Israeli checkpoints and taking their temperatures. Those with fever or other symptoms are taken to hospitals while the rest are ordered into 14-day home quarantine.
 All workers are barred from returning to Israel, and security forces posted at the entrances to towns and villages are confiscating work permits.
 “We cannot test all the workers returning from Israel because we have limited capabilities,” said Dr. Ali Abed Rabu, another Health Ministry official. Labs in Ramallah and Bethlehem can only process around 600 tests per day, he said.
 Gerald Rockenschaub, the head of the World Health Organization for the Palestinian territories, praised the Palestinian Authority's response to the pandemic. But he acknowledged that screening and quarantining the returning workers was “easier said than done,” especially since many are unregistered.
 A major outbreak in the West Bank would overwhelm the local health system. West Bank hospitals have around 213 intensive care unit beds with ventilators, according to the WHO. That's for a population of around 2.5 million.
 The situation in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since the Palestinian militant group Hamas seized power there in 2007, is even more dire.
 The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy. It can cause severe illness and death in some patients, particularly the sick and elderly.
 Mohammed Falah, a 24-year-old day laborer from the West Bank, returned from Israel on Tuesday after working on a construction site in Tel Aviv for the last three weeks.
 “If I had more work, I would have stayed," said Falah, who is engaged and hopes to get married this summer. He makes around $70 a day in Israel, twice the going rate in the West Bank.
 “I’m building a home myself. I cannot afford to stay in with no income,” he said.
 After he passed through the Israeli checkpoint, Palestinian medics sprayed him down with disinfectant from head to toe. “They even disinfected my shoes," he said.
 After taking his temperature and finding no sign of fever, they ordered him to go into home quarantine for 14 days.
 “I will definitely follow the instructions," he said. "I have parents and brothers and sisters, and I want to protect them.”
 ___
 Krauss reported from Jerusalem.

journalist: By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH and JOSEPH KRAUSS , Associated Press, Associated Press

title: Outbreak poses dilemma for Palestinians working in Israel


content_text:
Asian shares were mostly lower after gyrating in early trading amid uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak.
 Asian shares were mostly lower after gyrating in early trading amid uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak.
 (AP photo)

 Asian shares were mostly lower, gyrating in early Wednesday (April 8) trading amid uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak, which continues to claim more lives around the world.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 inched up 0.1% to 18,974.06 in morning trading. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.3% at 5,234.60, while South Korea’s Kospi lost nearly 0.4% to 1,816.84. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.6% to 24,121.07, while the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.4% to 2,808.85.

The rally on Wall Street suddenly vanished in a market dominated by sharp swings responding to the ups and downs of the news about the pandemic.

“The recent risk rally faded quickly despite recent stimulus efforts from both monetary and fiscal authorities, with market players coming to terms with the unabated rise in fatalities as the virus continues to spread,” Prakash Sakpal and Nicholas Mapa, economists at ING, said in a report.

In Asia, Japan’s state of emergency kicked in, focused on seven urban areas, including Tokyo, with strong government requests for people to stay home and restaurants and stores to close for a month. However, there were scant signs of any change in behavior during the morning rush hour.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.2% to 2,659.41 after erasing a surge of 3.5% earlier in the day. The market’s gains faded as the price of U.S. crude oil abruptly flipped from a gain to a steep loss of more than 9%.

Even though economists say a punishing recession is inevitable, some investors have begun to look ahead to when a peak in new infections would offer some clarity about how long the downturn may last and how deep it will be.

Investors could then, finally, envision the other side of the economic shutdown, after authorities forced businesses to halt in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus. In the meantime, governments around the world are talking about pumping trillions of dollars more of aid for the economy.

Many professional investors say they’ve been wary of the recent upsurge and expect more volatility ahead. The S&P 500 has rallied nearly 19% since hitting a low on March 23, though it’s still down 21.5% from its record set in February.

“It’s important to remember we shouldn’t over-extrapolate temporary trends,” said Patrick Schaffer, global investment specialist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

Such concerns were borne out in Tuesday’s trading, when the S&P 500 swung up, down, up, down and back up again through the day.

“We are still in what you would call the relief rally off of the prior low,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA. He noted that this kind of a rally is common within deep bear markets, Wall Street-speak for when stocks decline 20% or more from a peak.

“There’s no guarantee that the worst is behind us, yet traders believe that at least there is some short-term money to be made,” Stovall said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1% to 22,653.86, giving up an earlier gain of 937 points. The Nasdaq composite dropped 3%, to 7,887.26.

“It’s very hard today to envision baseball stadiums in June filled with people drinking beer and watching games,” said J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s Schaffer. “People today don’t anticipate that the economy is going to turn back on like a light switch, but rather that it will be a gradual reopening of certain parts of the economy.”

Experts say more deaths are on the way due to COVID-19, which has already claimed at least 82,000 lives around the world. The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases with more than 398,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

More economic misery is also on the horizon. Economists expect a report on Thursday to show that 5 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs sweep the country. That would bring the total to nearly 15 million over the past three weeks. Analysts also expect big companies in upcoming weeks to report their worst quarter of profit declines in more than a decade.

ENERGY: Oil prices have dipped as many people are no longer driving to work, flying to meetings or heading to the store amid the economic shutdown. Benchmark U.S. crude oil surged $1.48 to $25.11 a barrel. It fell $2.45, or 9.4%, to settle at $23.63 per barrel Tuesday. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 90 cents to $32.77.

CURRENCIES:

The dollar inched down to 108.75 yen from 108.80 yen Tuesday. The euro slipped to $1.0872 from $1.0892 .

journalist: By Associated Press

title: Asian shares mostly lower on worries about pandemic damage


content_text:
Taiwanese can now order to-go meals via LINE SPOT. (LINE Taiwan photo)
 Taiwanese can now order to-go meals via LINE SPOT. (LINE Taiwan photo)

 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — LINE Taiwan announced Tuesday (April 7) that it was adding a "food ordering and pick-up" service on its LINE SPOT feature to encourage citizens to order grab-and-go meals amidst the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Since the outbreak, the country's hospitality industry has suffered immensely as more Taiwanese have chosen to minimize excursions to hotels and restaurants, in fear of contracting the virus. Following the Central Epidemic Command Center's (CECC) implementation of social distancing measures on April 1, restaurants that remained open have seen an even steeper decline in customers.

To boost Taiwan's food industry while encouraging social distancing, LINE Taiwan said the new feature would allow Taiwanese to order meals online from 500 restaurants, including Thai Town (瓦城), Very Thai Noodles (大心新泰式麵食), and Fat Daddy Fried Chicken (胖老爹), as well as breakfast and beverage shops. It added that currently most restaurants were located in Taipei and New Taipei, but the company was planning to include more eateries in other parts of the country in the next few weeks, reported UDN.

The Tokyo-based company pointed out that users could access LINE SPOT directly from their LINE account without needing to download a new app. It also stated that all monetary transactions would be conducted online to avoid potential virus transmission.

journalist: By Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

title: LINE launches food ordering and pick-up service in Taiwan


content_text:
Chen Shih-chung.
 Chen Shih-chung.
 (CNA photo)

 TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) again confirmed only three new cases of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wednesday (April 8), the same number reported the previous day.

During his daily press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Health Minister and CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) confirmed three new cases of coronavirus, the same amount reported on Tuesday. Two of the new cases were imported, while one was domestic, all three were females.

The sole local case, No. 379, was a woman in her 30s who had no recent history of traveling abroad. Most of the woman's activities were centered in her home and surrounding area.

On April 4, she sought medical treatment for a fever and a runny nose. She underwent a test for the disease at a local hospital and was confirmed to have the virus on April 8.

A total of 21 persons are believed to have come in contact with the woman, including family members and medical workers. An investigation is underway as to how she contracted the disease.

As for the two imported cases, the 377th case was a woman in her 20s, while the 378th case was a woman in her 60s. The 377th case had been attending school in Spain and after arriving in Taiwan on March 22, she began an in-home quarantine.

On March 23, she developed a dry throat and diarrhea for which she took some medication on her own. When Centers for Disease Control (CDC) personnel came to check on her status, she said that she was experiencing a runny nose, nasal congestion, diarrhea, and chest and back pain.

The inspectors decided to arrange for a medical screening and she was confirmed to have the virus on April 8.

The 378th case had recently gone on a trip to visit relatives in Indonesia from Feb. 16 to March 29. Upon arrival in Taiwan on March 29, the woman began a 14-day quarantine in her home.

On April 1, she began to develop a cough. By April 4, she decided to seek medical treatment due to physical discomfort.

Doctors found that as she was suffering from shortness of breath, a fever, general fatigue, and pneumonia, they deemed that she should be hospitalized. The hospital tested the woman for COVID-19 on April 5 and she was officially diagnosed with the virus on April 8.

Since the outbreak began, Taiwan has seen 379 total cases of infection and five deaths, while 67 have been released from hospital isolation.

journalist: By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

title: Taiwan again reports 3 cases of Wuhan coronavirus


content_text:
A medical worker from China's Jilin Province reacts as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's H...
 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province reacts as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus board the first high-speed train to leave Hankou train station after th...
 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus board the first high-speed train to leave Hankou train station after the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing protective suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus gather outside of Hankou train station ahead of the resumption of...
 Passengers wearing protective suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus gather outside of Hankou train station ahead of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province, in red, embraces a colleague from Wuhan as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Air...
 A medical worker from China's Jilin Province, in red, embraces a colleague from Wuhan as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk past people holding a celebratory banner at Wuhan Tianhe ...
 Travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk past people holding a celebratory banner at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus pass through security checks at Hankou train station after of the resum...
 Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus pass through security checks at Hankou train station after of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
 (AP photo)

 Travelers with their luggage walk past the Hankou railway station on the eve of its resuming outbound traffic in Wuhan in central China's Hubei provin...
 Travelers with their luggage walk past the Hankou railway station on the eve of its resuming outbound traffic in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Starting Wednesday, residents of Wuhan will be allowed to once again travel in and out of the sprawling city where the coronavirus pandemic began, ending an 11-week lockdown. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A security officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in cen...
 A security officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Travelers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stand at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's ...
 Travelers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stand at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A worker directs travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuha...
 A worker directs travelers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A police officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in c...
 A police officer wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus stands guard at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. Within hours of China lifting an 11-week lockdown on the central city of Wuhan early Wednesday, tens of thousands people had left the city by train and plane alone, according to local media reports. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A passenger wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus talks about how happy she is to leave her 76-day stay in lockdown in ...
 A passenger wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of new coronavirus talks about how happy she is to leave her 76-day stay in lockdown in Wuhan as she boards the first high-speed train to leave Hankou train station after the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 A worker in a protective suit monitors a temperature scanner at Hankou train station after of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central Chi...
 A worker in a protective suit monitors a temperature scanner at Hankou train station after of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Passengers wearing face masks and rain coats to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk outside of Hankou train station after of the resump...
 Passengers wearing face masks and rain coats to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk outside of Hankou train station after of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 Security personnel wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus direct vehicles entering Wuhan city at a toll gate in Wuhan in ...
 Security personnel wearing face masks to protect against the spread of new coronavirus direct vehicles entering Wuhan city at a toll gate in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Wednesday, April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed Wednesday morning from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

 WUHAN, China (AP) — After more than two months indoors, Wuhan resident Tong Zhengkun was one of millions of people enjoying a renewed sense of freedom Wednesday when the Chinese city's 76-day coronavirus lockdown was lifted.
 “I haven’t been outside for more than 70 days,” an emotional Tong said as he watched a celebratory light display from a bridge across the broad Yangtze River flowing through the city. “Being indoors for so long drove me crazy."
 Streets in the city of 11 million people were clogged with traffic and long lines formed at the airport, train and bus stations as thousands streamed out of the city to return to homes and jobs elsewhere. Yellow barriers that had blocked off some streets were gone, although the gates to residential compounds remained guarded.
 Tong said his apartment complex was shut down after residents were found to have contracted the virus. Neighborhood workers delivered groceries to his door.
 Such measures won't be entirely abandoned following the end of the city's closure, which began on Jan. 23 as the virus was raging through the city and overwhelming hospitals. Schools are still closed, temperatures are checked when people enter buildings and masks are strongly encouraged. City leaders say they want is to simultaneously bring back social and commercial life while avoiding a second wave of infections.
 The ability to travel again is a huge relief, however, and around 65,000 were expected to depart Wednesday by plane and train. Wuhan residents are now permitted to leave without special authorization as long as a mandatory smartphone application powered by a mix of data-tracking and government surveillance shows they are healthy and have not been in recent contact with anyone confirmed to have the virus.
 It didn’t take long for traffic to begin moving swiftly through the reopened bridges, tunnels and highway toll booths. Nearly 1,000 vehicles went through a busy highway toll booth at Wuhan’s border between midnight — when barricades were lifted — and 7 a.m, according to Yan Xiangsheng, a district police chief.
 According to airport official Lou Guowei, the first departing flight, MU2527, left Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 7:25 a.m. for Sanya, a coastal city in Hainan province known for its beaches.
 “The crew will wear goggles, masks, and gloves throughout the flight,” chief flight attendant Guo Binxue, was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency. “It will be very smooth because we have made much preparation for this flight.”
 Xiao Yonghong had found herself stuck in Wuhan after returning to her hometown on Jan. 17 to spend the Lunar New Year with her husband, son and parents-in-law.
 “We were too excited to fall asleep last night. I was looking forward to lockdown lift very much. I set up an alert to remind myself. I was very happy,” said Xiao, who was waiting for her train outside Hankou station with her son and husband, all three of them wearing masks and gloves.
 At the airport, Chen Yating took personal protection a step further, wearing white coveralls, gloves, a mask and a baseball cap. She was waiting to catch a flight to the southern business hub of Guangzhou.
 “We are living in a good era," Chen said. “It is not easy to have today’s achievement.”
 Restrictions in the city where most of China’s more than 82,000 virus cases and over 3,300 deaths from COVID-19 were reported have been gradually eased as the number of new cases steadily declined. The government reported no new cases in the city on Wednesday.
 While there are questions about the veracity of China’s count, the unprecedented lockdown of Wuhan and Hubei have been successful enough that other countries adopted similar measures.
 “The people in Wuhan paid out a lot and bore a lot mentally and psychologically,” resident Zhang Xiang said. “Wuhan people are historically famous for their strong will.”
 During the lockdown, Wuhan residents could leave their homes only to buy food or attend to other tasks deemed absolutely necessary. Some were allowed to leave the city, but only if they had paperwork showing they were not a health risk and a letter attesting to where they were going and why. Even then, authorities could turn them back on a technicality such as missing a stamp, preventing thousands from returning to their jobs outside the city.
 Residents of other parts of Hubei were allowed to leave the province starting about three weeks ago, as long as they could provide a clean bill of health. People leaving the city still face numerous hurdles at their final destinations, such as 14-day quarantines and nucleic acid tests.
 Wuhan is a major center for heavy industry, particularly autos, and while many major plants have restarted production, the small and midsize businesses that employ the most people are still hurting from both a lack of workers and demand. Measures are being instituted to get them back on their feet, including 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) in preferential loans, according to the city government.
 The exact source of the virus remains under investigation, though many of the first COVID-19 patients were linked to an outdoor food market in the city.
 ___
 Associated Press producer Olivia Zhang in Wuhan, China, and writer Yanan Wang in Toronto contributed to this report.

journalist: By SAM McNEIL , Associated Press, Associated Press

title: Masked crowds fill streets and trains in post-lockdown Wuhan


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／近期，西非薩赫勒地區恐怖襲擊和武裝衝突頻發並逐漸升級，引起國際社會高度關注。3月28日，法國國防部長弗洛朗絲·帕利宣布，應馬里和尼日爾要求，包括法國在內的歐洲11國將與兩國共同成立 “巴爾坎反恐軍事行動框架內歐洲特種部隊聯盟”（簡稱“塔庫巴”聯軍），以共同打擊薩赫勒地區的恐怖主義勢力。

 為應對該地區的恐怖主義，2017年2月，由布基納法索、乍得、馬里、毛里塔尼亞和尼日爾組成的薩赫勒五國集團組建了一支5000人的聯合部隊，打擊恐怖主義和毒品走私，並獲得非洲聯盟授權。由於地區安全形勢過於複雜，傳統安全威脅與非傳統安全威脅緊密交織，薩赫勒五國集團反恐成效不大。

 作為非洲曾經的宗主國，法國一直對該地區安全形勢與反恐行動非常關注。2014年8月，法國開始在撒哈拉—薩赫勒地區啟動“新月形沙丘行動”， 打擊恐怖和極端組織。薩赫勒五國集團聯合部隊成立後，法國通過調整兵力部署，不斷強化與該聯合部隊的合作。今年2月，法國國防部長帕利宣布，將向非洲薩赫勒地區增派600名士兵，法國部署在該地區的士兵達到5100人。同時，法國還倡導“責任共擔”，不斷拉其他西方國家入盟，以尋求更多國家的支持。

 此次法國推動組建13國聯合部隊，是其尋求加強在西非合作打擊恐怖主義的一個重要成果。按照計劃，今年夏天，“塔庫巴”聯軍將進入戰備狀態，明年初正式展開全面軍事行動。

 由於受多種因素制約，“塔庫巴”聯軍能否順利部署並取得有效成果，仍存在諸多不確定因素。

 首先，單純通過軍事手段反恐並不能完全保障該地區的安全與穩定。西非薩赫勒地區是世界上最貧窮的地區之一，國家內亂嚴重，經濟落後，民族宗教矛盾交織，持續動蕩的原因十分複雜，猖獗的恐怖主義只是地區動蕩的一種表現而非根源，需要採取更多的綜合性治理手段。組建聯合部隊實施軍事反恐，只是揚湯止沸，並不能實現該地區的長久和平與穩定。

countries: 尼日 法國

title: 法欲組多國聯軍推進西非反恐


content_text:
邱毅臉書發文指美國國力下跌，特朗普支持“台獨”力道一定減弱，台灣把美國當靠山，但真的不可靠了。（取自邱毅粉絲專頁）

 中評社台北4月7日電（記者 倪鴻祥）中國國民黨前“立委”邱毅6日晚間臉書發文指出，美國“總統”特朗普膽子小，性格色厲內荏，而且美國綜合國力下跌，絕不敢真的和中國撕破臉，支持“台獨”的力道一定會減弱，台灣過去倚仗的美國靠山，現在真的不可靠了。

 他質疑美國國務院日前呼籲美國公民趕快回國，另方面徵召100萬預備役軍人稱要投入抗疫，這些動作都不尋常，難道真的是戰爭的前奏？

 邱毅6日晚間透過臉書粉絲專頁發文，指特朗普在美國綜合國力下跌的困境下，他支持“台獨”的力道一定會減弱，正如呂秀蓮說“戰爭已到了海峽中缐”，代表戰爭已經到了台灣門口，蔡英文最近估計是嚇死了，夜不成眠，食不甘味，台灣承受不了戰爭，過去倚仗的美國靠山，現在真的不可靠了。

 他舉例，美國在小布什時代，911後一個月美國便攻打阿富汗，之後又發動更大規模的伊拉克戰爭，美國確實有用戰爭轉移美國國內焦點的前科。

 他表示，特朗普不是小布什，特朗普是個色厲內荏的政治癖子，最擅長的兩招是“吹牛”和“甩鍋”，這兩種招數短期確實有效，所以民調支持度還是很高，但只要美國的疫情持續惡化，紙老虎還是會變成病貓，屆時支持度難逃崩盤危機的下場。

 他研判，特朗普想要連任，一旦連任成功，所有的權力利益都可維持，若連任失敗，恐怕難逃被追殺痛打落水狗的命運，所以他是有可能挺而走險，用對外戰爭來轉移美國國內疫情焦點。

 邱毅指出，特朗普膽子小，性格色厲內荏，絶不敢真跟中國大陸或俄羅斯開戰，甚至連對伊朗和朝鮮都不敢玩真的，所以估計只會找“軟柿子”來啃，最近，美國剛通緝委內瑞拉“總統”馬杜羅，特朗普如果要以小型的區域戰爭來轉移疫情焦點，委內瑞拉可能是個目標，但不管要“啃”誰，絕不致真跟中國大陸撕破臉。

countries: 美國 伊朗 俄羅斯 委內瑞拉 阿富汗 伊拉克 台灣

people: 邱毅 蔡英文 呂秀蓮

title: 邱毅：美國這兩個動作難道是戰爭前奏？


content_text:
中評社台北4月8日電／高雄市選委會7日宣布罷韓二階連署過關，6月可望舉行罷免高雄市長韓國瑜投票。台媒報道，中國國民黨籍高雄市長韓國瑜8日上午將委任律師到法院聲請停止執行罷韓案投票。民進黨籍高雄市議員陳致中昨晚在臉書表示，韓國瑜出大絕了，不能小看這一招。

 高雄市公民數約228萬，依據選罷法規定，第3階段投票，同意罷免票數需多於不同意罷免票數，且同意票數達原選舉區選舉人總數的四分之一以上，約需逾58萬票。

 根據《中國時報》報道，為反制罷免案，高雄市長韓國瑜已委任前高雄市新聞局長王淺秋、律師葉慶元於今天上午10點30分赴台北高等行政法院呈遞行政訴訟停止執行聲請狀，要求停止罷韓案投票。王淺秋說，罷免案在韓市長上任未滿一年就開始連署，明顯偷跑，已違反選罷法，因此決定遞狀聲請停止執行。

 民進黨高雄市議員陳致中則在臉書表示，韓國瑜出大絕了，大家不能小看聲請行政法院“停止執行”這一招，黨產會追討765億不當黨產，高達五十件案子卡在行政法院，都是因為停止執行這四個字，而且有佛系法官認為停執無妨，追黨產與公益無關。

 國民黨發言人洪于茜也質疑，罷韓連署有“偷跑”疑慮，“中選會”身為獨立機關，應說清楚按照選罷法規定，罷免案必須在公職人員就職滿1年才能提出，但罷韓團體卻有辦法在期滿1年隔日就送出3萬份連署，若沒有偷跑連署，怎麼提出？

 她表示，“中選會主委”李進勇作為最高選務機關首長，應充分說明法律疑義，卻避不說明又刁難質詢“立委”，若不是失職就是失能。

people: 韓國瑜 陳致中 李進勇

title: 聲請停止執行罷韓　陳致中：韓國瑜出大絕


content_text:
中評社台北4月7日電／新冠肺炎疫情升高，蔡政府努力防疫之際，兩岸政策協會秘書長、民進黨前中國事務部副主任張百達在媒體發表評論表示，另一場看不見的台海風暴卻亦悄然隨至。世衛組織（WHO）將“武漢肺炎”／病毒定名為COVID－19（2019年冠狀病毒疾病）後，台灣若堅持使用爭議性用詞，除了形同對當今相關普世價值的反動，減損台灣防疫經驗與援外防疫物資所贏得的讚譽，還將錯失兩岸關係緩解的契機，並讓原已處於緊繃的狀態更形雪上加霜。

 他說，這場起於台灣為因應防疫，“行政院”宣布暫停口罩等防疫物資出口，卻意外被對岸認為此乃極具針對性的敵意舉動，反使兩岸情勢較選前更加嚴峻。而陸委會日前民調顯示，對“蔡英文強調願意在台灣防疫工作行有餘力之處，對中國大陸提供必要協助”時，竟有高達近7成（69.3%）的民眾表示支持。相對網路激進喧囂，這是台灣沉默的主流民意。我們看見了台灣人民內心始終保有的良善，希望這對兩岸執政當局在面對當前乃至爾後各種爭議時，能夠有所啟發。

countries: 中國 台灣

events: 新冠肺炎 冠狀病毒 武漢肺炎

title: 張百達：錯失兩岸緩解契機　台海風暴悄然隨至


content_text:
中評社快評／下月20日開始，民進黨將在台灣再執政4年，深綠組織近日宣稱將推動“制憲公投”，預計4月30日前完成第一階段連署送案。“制憲公投”為“法理台獨”步驟之一，是兩岸關係中一條不可逾越紅線。

 宣稱將推動“制憲公投”的深綠組織是“台灣制憲基金會”，該組織2019年1月23日成立，當天的開幕記者會出席者，包括民進黨、時代力量、社民黨、基進黨等4個“台獨”政黨的黨主席，及其他“台獨”頭面人物，如辜寬敏等，可見它是一個不一般的“台獨組織”。

 深綠組織聲稱他們訴求推出台灣“新憲法”，而非“修憲”，希望促使民進黨當局在“制憲”議題上有推動的動力。他們會分階段行動，第一階段連署送案，預計4月30日前完成；第二階段至今年8、9月，需連署28萬份；第三階段明年8月公投，只要490幾萬票同意就通過。

 深綠推動“制憲公投”，顯示“急獨”將加快腳步。近日蘇貞昌在“立法院”公開談論改“國名”英譯之事，聲稱要改也要改成“Taiwan”，等等。蘇貞昌的言行說明“急獨”並非由深綠組織包辦，民進黨當局也已愈走愈遠。

 過去4年兩岸關係急劇惡化，新冠肺炎疫情爆發之後兩岸對立更加嚴重，很多人感慨兩岸關係回不去了。回不去從前，然後呢？是繼續“冷和平”還是“熱對抗”，下月20日之後，或者會有更清晰答案。

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 快評：特朗普暫時收口，“台獨”仍在傷人 (2020-03-25 01:16:18)

 快評：美國自私無承擔 台灣親美風險大 (2020-03-24 01:42:45)

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countries: 台灣 美國

events: 新冠肺炎 公投

people: 蘇貞昌 吳斯懷

political-parties: 基進黨 時代力量

taiwan-subdivisions: 和平 高雄

title: 快評：民進黨再執政4年　“急獨”加快腳步


content_text:
中評社台北4月7日電（記者 張嘉文）應中國國民黨主席江啟臣邀請，前“總統府”副秘書長、現任台北市議員羅智強出任素來有國民黨黨校之稱的革命實踐研究院長一職。羅今天在江的陪同下，召開第一場革實院記者會，推出第一波“財務革命”，他宣示，不支薪、捐新台幣80萬元、募1000萬元，要讓革實院成為國民黨的“帶米巧婦”。

 今天的“江主席授命，羅智強革實院財務三箭：不支薪、捐80萬、募1000萬”記者會，除了江啟臣和羅智強出席外，包括兩位革實院副院長游淑慧和黃健豪都共同與會。會中羅智強也當場秀出他捐80萬元給國民黨的支票，宣示決心。

 江啟臣在會中表示，革實院被外界認為是黨校，以往大家對革實院印象是嚴肅跟正經八百，所以在革實院精神要傳承，又要展現效益的狀況下，是羅智強帶領團隊要去努力的。過去國民黨面臨中心思想、論述、年輕人培養上，往往為外界詬病，這些聲音在經過羅的團隊思索規劃後，希望能讓革實院重新成為國民黨培育人才、吸引人才的搖籃。

 江啟臣說，這也符合他過去所說的，國民黨雖然窮，但不能窮在培育人才這一塊，因為人才是國民黨未來最重要黨產，所以革實院是創造黨產最重要的基地。

 羅智強則表示，他要進行革實院的“財政計劃”，包括三部分：第一，以身作則，不領薪水，這包括兩位副院長在內。而就算有薪水，他也打算捐出來，以減輕革實院的財務負擔。節流，是革實院重整財務的第一步。

 第二，拋磚引玉，捐80萬元給革實院，1月12日，國民黨大選敗選的次日，他便宣布，在國民黨補選主席產生後，他即捐80萬元給國民黨做為青年發展工作之用，他將兌現承諾，捐80萬元給革實院，作為院務經費。

 第三，以募1000萬元為目標，巧婦帶米，擴充革實院活動能量，他希望號召認同民主制衡，支持國民黨再造重生的朋友，募款1000萬元，支持國民黨，支持革實院，詳細募款計劃，他會另外規劃公布。

 羅智強強調，1949年，國民黨於內戰中挫敗，國民政府撤遷來台，當時的蔣中正總裁，認為國民黨必須痛定思痛、力圖改革，創立了“革命實踐研究院”並自任第一任院長。而71年後的國民黨，大選二度慘敗，再度面臨嚴峻的存續危機，他相信，革實院能成為協助江啟臣，中興改革、再造奮起的關鍵力量。

journalist: 張嘉文

people: 羅智強 江啟臣 黃健豪

title: 羅智強接國民黨革實院長　射財務三箭展決心


content_text:
中評社嘉義4月7日電（記者 李其樺）台灣處理新冠肺炎友歐美不友中，處處抵制中國大陸，造成兩岸關係更加緊張。對此國民黨嘉義市議員傅大偉接受中評社訪問認為，美國只把台灣當作棋子，加上大陸近年軍力提升，一旦兩岸爆發軍事衝突，美國和周邊盟國是否願意冒險為台出兵還是未知數，戰爭風險只能台灣人民自行承擔。

 傅大偉今年57歲，為中正大學戰略暨“國家安全”研究所碩士。曾當選東川里長，並擔任社區規畫師、嘉義市青創會會長等職務。2005年起連續4屆當選嘉義市議員。

 5日上午傅大偉在嘉義市接受中評社訪問，對於台灣將新冠肺炎病毒稱為武漢肺炎，遭到前國民黨“立委”陳學聖質疑，且近日對外展開口罩外交，友歐美不友中，對兩岸關係改善是否有幫助？

 傅大偉認為，當全世界國家都將病毒稱作新冠肺炎病毒，台灣不能一意孤行採取“鎖國”主義，台灣人更必須對外展現友善的一面，更何況中國大陸與台灣簽署ECFA，每年台灣對大陸貿易順差高達800億美元，經濟上對台讓利十足，已對台灣展現相當友善，防疫期間做政治操作無益兩岸關係改善。

journalist: 李其樺

countries: 美國 台灣 中國

events: 新冠肺炎 武漢肺炎

people: 傅大偉 陳學聖

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義 嘉義市 中正

things: 經濟 防疫

title: 傅大偉：當美國棋子　戰爭風險台灣人民承擔


content_text:
中評社新竹4月8日電（記者 黃文杰）中國國民黨新竹市議員陳慶齡接受中評社訪問表示，國民黨2020大選還有500多萬選票支持，因此未來四年拼重返執政，不用刻意高舉跟大陸的關係，現在沒有人有辦法講出兩岸關係，也不用擁抱美國。靠美國也沒有什麼好日子過，難道美國會告訴台灣選民，下次選票要給國民黨嗎？國民黨要走自己的路線。

 陳慶齡，國民黨第17屆黨代表、國民黨連任三屆中央委員、新竹市桌球委員會主任委員、新竹市香山民眾服務社理事長，從事玻璃業，新竹香山與大陸昆山都有設廠。2018年第一次參選香山區新竹市議員，順利當選，4月1日新頭銜是國民黨組發會義務副主委。

 被問到，國民黨2020大選為何會慘敗？因為兩岸關係說不清楚？

 陳慶齡分析，台灣選民會“棄”國民黨，只因為出不了新菜色，現在換48歲的江啟臣接黨主席，老一輩或許會看，“你們年輕人到底能玩出怎樣新把戲？”但是必須說，不是不尊重長輩，但是國民黨也給老一輩機會與時間，也搞不出新東西。

 他認為，老一輩講不清楚兩岸問題，年輕人就有辦法講清楚嗎？既然沒有能力講，就先不要講，否則愈來愈模糊，愈引起反感，愈容易被貼標籤，“台灣是不是中國的？”這是誰執政，誰就應該講清，國民黨說台灣是大陸，就會變成大陸了的嗎？

 國民黨的主張，會不會愈像民進黨？

 陳慶齡舉例，國民黨現在換新車，誰像誰的車有差嗎？就好比老歌新唱，誰唱會比較好聽呢？余天的“榕樹下”是老歌，換五月天唱可以嗎？

 被問到，國民黨還有一群“顧客”都是上了年紀的長輩，如果路線改變太快，能夠適應？還會跟著你們走嗎。

 他分析，老一輩的政治傾向比較穩定，不像年輕人改變這麼大，當國民黨所有面孔都換新了，當然要“老歌新唱”，現在沒有人有能力處理兩岸問題，就暫時不要講，碰到兩岸就容易被民進黨扣紅帽子。

 陳慶齡甚至認為，韓國瑜這次大選，兩岸還是講太多了，即便就只講了“九二共識”，也覺得講太多了，根本講都不用講。

 他反問，現在街上隨便找人問什麼是“九二共識”？多數會說這是國民黨跟大陸簽的共識，準備賣台，這不是民進黨把台灣選民洗腦洗得太乾淨，而是太容易被扣帽子，國民黨為何執意要跟大陸綁在一起？現階段不要碰這個議題，江啟臣應該也不會去碰這個問題。

 陳慶齡說，大陸要體認，到底希望國民黨繼續在野黨？還是重返執政？國民黨應該“打破重來”，國民黨還有500多萬票的支持度，不用刻意高舉跟大陸的關係，

 被問到，國民黨不要兩岸關係，應該改擁抱美國嗎？

 “為什麼要靠美國？”他說，靠美國也沒有什麼好日子過，國民黨要走自己的路線，難道美國會告訴台灣選民，下次投票要投給國民黨，選民就會投給國民黨嗎？不可能，關鍵在於國民黨要端給年輕人什麼菜。

 陳慶齡說，為什麼以前台灣人說到美國，眼神都充滿驕傲，因為當時美國比台灣強大，比台灣進步很多，如果以後大陸比台灣更民主，比美國更富有，相信很多人搶著說“我祖先來自大陸，當年就是唐山過台灣”，講的非常有自信。

 他分析，現在兩岸關係就好比家中有兄弟蠻橫不講理，總會趕緊想辦法閃躲不承認，長輩說“這是你的兄弟，你要承認呀”，還是不會大方坦承。

journalist: 黃文杰

countries: 美國 台灣

people: 余天 江啟臣 韓國瑜

taiwan-subdivisions: 新竹 新竹市

title: 陳慶齡語中評：藍軍靠美國也沒啥好日子過


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中評社高雄4月8日電（記者 高易伸）高雄市選委會7日宣布，罷韓二階連署審核完成且查對過關。此次共審核40萬6880份連署書，最終有效連署人數為37萬7662人，相較最低連署門檻22萬8133人足足多出14萬9529人。換言之，高雄市民每7．6人就有1人同意連署罷韓。預計6月中將舉行投票。

 前高雄縣縣長楊秋興7日晚間則呼籲韓應知所進退，馬上辭官放過高雄市，不要再讓市政空轉，除可節省罷韓投票作業公帑，也讓高雄市的窘迫財政不再雪上加霜。

 罷韓團體今年3月9日將40萬6880份連署書送交高雄市選委會，經選委會與戶政事務所近1個月查對，並寄發2千多份連署書查詢單，終於在7日完成查對工作。

 罷韓團體核心要角尹立等人昨日也全數到場迎接二階通過，鞠躬感謝高雄市民，並喊出“光復高雄、天佑台灣”，希望防疫與罷韓在高雄都能成功。尹立指出，韓國瑜創造連續2次“沒進議會質詢”的紀錄，不過高雄市民也創造了有史以來罷免“直轄市長”的紀錄，要給高雄市民肯定，更要感謝韓國瑜讓高雄民主更健康。

 本次二階連署罷韓團體共收到56萬份連署書，實際送件40萬6880份連署書，經選委會剔除2萬9218份，最後符合規定連署人數為37萬7662人。罷韓運動如野火狂燒，高雄市選委會主委陳雄文稱，“投票日不是6月13就是6月6日”，但最後仍得由“中選會”公布決定。

 屆時第三階段的罷免投票，除須同意票大於不同意票，同意票的票數還要達到高雄市選舉人數的25％，也就是約58萬張同意票，罷免案才算通過。

journalist: 高易伸

people: 韓國瑜 楊秋興

taiwan-subdivisions: 成功 高雄 光復 高雄市

title: 罷韓投票6月登場　楊秋興促韓國瑜現在就辭


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中評社高雄4月7日電（記者 高易伸）高雄市議會“程序委員會”下午討論新會期是否準時於4月16日開議，藍綠議員吵得不可開交。主席國民黨副議長陸淑美決定更換開會場地，由會議室移至議長室，並動用警力阻擋綠營旁聽或直播，引發綠營總召韓賜村、議員陳明澤不滿退席。

 今日出席程序委員會者包括高雄市副市長陳雄文，由中國國民黨高雄市議會副議長陸淑美主持，委員會委員包括藍黨團總召曾俊傑、藍議員劉德林、宋立彬等人，綠黨團總召韓賜村、綠議員陳明澤等人、無黨聯盟則有朱信強列席。國民黨籍議長許崑源、無黨議員陳善惠請假。國民黨程序委員會席次過半數，綠營退席不影響程序委員會決議。

 原本參加旁聽的民進黨議員高閔琳、陳致中等人抨擊程序委員會主席臨時更改開會地點，還把欲參加旁聽的議員請出去，尤其陸淑美動用警力擋在議長室外，護航韓國瑜規避議會監督企圖明顯。

 藍綠今日針對高雄市議會新會期是否延至5月16日開議大鬥法。傍晚高雄市副市長兼高雄市選委會主委陳雄文將公布罷韓二階段連署及後續流程，傍晚的選委會還會熱鬧一陣子。

people: 朱信強 許崑源 陸淑美 韓賜村 劉德林 曾俊傑 陳致中 韓國瑜 陳明澤

political-parties: 綠黨 中國國民黨

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄市 高雄

title: 藍出動警力擋綠旁聽　高雄市議會火爆


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中評社嘉義4月8日電（記者 李其樺）“立委”江啟臣就任中國國民黨主席後，展開一系列人事布局，嘉義大學應用歷史系教授吳昆財接受中評社訪問分析，江啟臣是走獨台路線，大陸早已把國民黨晾在旁邊，改變過去對台模式，就如同歌手陳淑樺的歌”有些人你永遠不必等，有些事情你永遠不必問”。吳昆財觀察大陸對台的變化，認為未來政策高度會更高。

 吳昆財為中正大學歷史學博士，研究專長為中美關係史、美國外交史、國共談判史、中共史。

 中評社問，台灣反中氛圍濃厚，國民黨“立委”陳玉珍日前說台灣不是“國家”，“中華民國”才是“國家”，卻遭到輿論圍剿，如解讀這現像？

 吳昆財表示，國民黨的問題在於沒有中心思想，不要說九二共識，“中華民國”的“憲法”就是“一中憲法”的原則，黨的全名就叫做中國國民黨，為何不敢強調中國？是為了選票？還是為了永續生存？從歷史角度來看，選舉只是短時期，長時期來看台灣400年的歷史離不開中國大陸。

 吳昆財說，從文化認同來看，台灣文化也是中華文化一部分，中國大陸認為台灣是屬於中國的一部分，那就是太陽，不管你認不認同，朝太陽吐口水不會傷到太陽。

 吳昆財認為，台灣是地理名字，沒有污辱台灣海峽，也不是污辱台灣，不然民進黨就宣布“台灣獨立”、改成“台灣國”。國民黨不能只想著好處，不要怕被誤解，要跟老百姓講清楚，講台灣不是“國家”，不代表國民黨不愛台灣，有台灣意識不代表要台灣獨立，但這些國民黨不敢講，認同是需要不斷宣導的。

 吳昆財表示，九二共識在馬英九時代行得通，國民黨自己要有堅持，包括黨紀黨格黨魂，一個政黨裡面是敗壞掉的，有意義嗎？國民黨今天就算不講九二共識，民進黨一樣會打你，乾脆正其道而行，不要打著中國國民黨旗幟在那邊反中國。

 如何看待江啟臣所講的”我是台灣人，也是中國人”的言論？

 吳昆財表示，江啟臣講我是台灣人，也是中國人，這句話讓民進黨跳腳，表示有打到它的要害，因為從文化認同來看，台灣文化也是中華文化的一部分，文化認同更早於“國族”認同。

 吳昆財認為，江啟臣競選黨主席期間不講九二共識，大陸抗議了才講，加上他本身為地方派系出身，去年還會見香港黃之鋒，根本是獨台、B型“台獨”，就是傳統國民黨那一派，沒有躍馬中原的企圖心，要把國民黨轉本土化，沒有中心思想。對國民黨這些人要聽其言觀其行，如同歌手陳淑樺所唱的”有些人你永遠不必等，有些事情你永遠不必問”。

 國民黨如果轉成獨台，未來還有兩岸關係嗎？台灣是否會走向“台獨”？還是會有其他代理人取代國民黨位置？

countries: 香港 台灣 中華民國 美國

people: 馬英九 江啟臣 陳玉珍

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義 中正

title: 吳昆財觀察大陸對台變化　政策高度會更高


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中評社嘉義4月8日電（記者 李其樺）蔡政府持續親美，加上防疫作為處處抵制中國大陸，兩岸關係陷入緊張。嘉義大學應用歷史學系教授吳昆財表示，現在台灣年輕人不瞭解九二共識，九二共識被民進黨操弄成一國兩制，造成兩岸關係更加疏離，未來恐怕只有非和平手段才能解決兩岸問題。從歷史上來看，解決台灣問題到最後都是透過打仗，大陸只是在等時機而已。

 吳昆財進一步分析，如果兩岸發生戰事，是否支持台灣獨立？台灣人就會有很多猶豫質疑了。另一方面，台灣如果回歸大陸後，一切比照原來，對台灣人而言誘因不夠大，如果像當年東西德統一，西德提供東德足夠誘因，才有實現的可能。

 吳昆財為中正大學歷史學博士，研究專長為中美關係史、美國外交史、國共談判史、中共史。

 談到現在台灣人普遍不認同九二共識，對大陸認同感降低的看法，吳坤財表示，並不是九二共識在台灣沒有市場，而是現在台灣年輕人根本不了解九二共識的內涵，更遑論一國兩制？要喜歡一個人必須先認識他，但現在年輕人對九二共識陌生，又被民進黨操弄一國兩制仇中，結果就是害了台灣。

 吳昆財表示，台灣對中國人的認同愈來愈遠，是被塑造出來的，過去大家都認為自己是中國人，現在不是了，但台灣人對中國的認同有一天也是可以回復。

 吳昆財強調，就算國民黨不講九二共識，民進黨也是隨便給你抹，在台灣它擁有主場優勢，就像一支棒球隊打的再爛，主場球迷還是支持他的母隊，所以不是九二共識的問題。民進黨賣芒果干有效屢試不爽，其他倫理道德棄之不顧，以後大家就跟著混，只要選舉喊幾句顧主權來騙就好，民主走到底就是這樣，正道力量出不來，老百姓的選擇要自做自受。

 兩岸認同疏離，是否導致大陸對台灣非和平手段愈來愈多？吳昆財認為，這是肯定的，從歷史上來看，解決台灣問題到最後都是透過打仗，中國大陸只是在等時機而已。打仗有很多方式，不一定要用傳統手段，包括大陸結束ECFA（兩岸經濟合作架構協議）也是一種手段，除非台灣宣布“台獨”才有打仗可能。

countries: 台灣 中國 美國

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義 和平 中正

things: 經濟 九二共識 防疫

title: 吳昆財：歷史上解決台灣問題最後都是打仗


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中評社新竹4月9日電（記者 黃文杰）美國總統特朗普近日重砲狂轟世界衛生組織（WHO），新竹清華大學經濟系教授劉瑞華接受中評社訪問研判，美國總統特朗普如果真要在美中之間挑起某些衝突，可能改用病毒而不是貿易戰，不排除會利用台灣加入WHO的議題來挑戰中國，達到對抗中國的目的。

 劉瑞華，美國聖路易華盛頓大學經濟學博士，1990年起在新竹清華大學經濟系教書，曾任該校經濟系主任，專長在經濟史， 制度經濟學，曾經擔任中國時報《開卷》書評小組成員，寫過報紙專欄、書評與書籍導讀，也曾兼任清華大學藝術中心主任。

 中評社問，1月疫情剛爆發時外界擔心大陸封城，可能造成供應鏈斷鏈，現在大陸疫情趨緩，逐漸復工，換成歐美疫情拉警報，開始擔心需求不振，是否會看到“有供應、沒訂單”？廠商恐面臨前所未有的嚴峻挑戰。

countries: 中國 美國 台灣

title: 特朗普改變戰略？劉瑞華：可能以疫挑戰中國


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中評社台北4月7日電（記者 倪鴻祥）高雄市選委會預訂今天下午將公布 “罷韓”第二階段連署審查結果，預料將通過審查，進入第三階段罷免投票。中國國民黨“立法院”黨團今天上午舉行記者會質疑，韓國瑜2019年12月25日就任高雄市長剛滿1年，“wecare高雄”綠營團體隔天就送出近3萬份罷免提議書，有連署偷跑嫌疑。“中選會”違法護航，擺明想透過民主包藏政治鬥爭。

 根據“選舉罷免法”規定，罷免第二階段連署人數，要達原選舉區選舉人數10%以上，依據前年高雄市長選舉人數228萬1338人計算，二階連署至少要22萬8133人才能過關。“wecare高雄”罷韓連署發起人尹立等人日前送交第二階連署書40萬7584份，高雄市選委會預訂下午將公布審查結果。

 罷韓案一旦過關後，高雄市選舉會將呈報“中央選舉委員會”核定並公告罷免投票時間，選罷法規定，罷免案投票應於罷免投票宣告成立後20日到60日內進行，只要有效同意票數多於不同意票數，且同意票數達原選舉區選舉人總數25%以上，依照高雄市在前年市長選舉人數228萬1338人計算，估計需超過57萬335人投票同意，罷免才有機會成功。高雄市各界推估，罷免投票可能在6月中旬進行。

 國民黨團副書記長呂玉玲、“立委”陳玉珍、林思銘、葉毓蘭等人出上午舉行“罷韓連署偷跑 “中選會”違法護航”記者會。

 陳玉珍表示，防疫期間罷韓團體搞很多小動作，意圖讓政治更加紛亂，有必要讓民眾了解罷韓團體從頭開始就沒有合法性，依《公職人員選罷法》規定，罷免案須在公職人員就職滿1年才能提出，但罷韓團體去年滿1年的隔天送出近3萬份連署書，怎麼可能一天就能完成這麼多份連署，擺明偷跑，第一階段連署違法，後續連署事宜就不該繼續，“中選會”應執行連署書刪減，不要把責任推給“內政部”。

 林思銘指出，罷免活動包含提議連署、徵求連署、罷免選舉活動，“中選會主委”李進勇認為提議連署也算罷免的一環，既然如此，就不應在韓國瑜就職1年不到就先行連署，更不應等到就職滿1年的隔天才填上日期，這顯然牴觸《公職人員選罷法》規定。

journalist: 倪鴻祥

people: 韓國瑜 呂玉玲 林思銘 陳玉珍 李進勇 葉毓蘭

taiwan-subdivisions: 成功 高雄市

title: 國民黨團轟“中選會”違法護航罷韓搞追殺


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／庚子新春，一場突如其來的新冠肺炎疫情來襲，其傳播速度之快、防控難度之大，前所未有。緊要關頭，一場疫情防控的人民戰爭、總體戰、阻擊戰打響，中國力量、中國速度、中國方案，舉世矚目。

 在這場沒有硝煙的戰“疫”中，國防動員系統聞令而動、奮勇衝鋒，發揮獨特作用，展現獨特風采。這是一次對國防動員系統改革重塑和遂行使命任務能力的全面檢驗，給加強新時代國防動員體系建設帶來諸多啟示。

 這是一次軍地協同戰。協調軍地，面向三軍——

 是職能定位，更是使命戰位

 駐鄂部隊抗擊疫情運力支援隊是這次武漢保衛戰的一道溫暖風景。這支隊伍由陸軍、空軍和軍事院校等6支駐軍部隊緊急抽調130輛軍用卡車、260餘名官兵組成，主要擔負保障武漢各大醫院和武漢市民醫療、生活物資正常供應任務。值得一提的是，這支運力支援隊經中央軍委批准和中部戰區命令，由湖北省軍區直接協調指揮。

 截至目前，該運力支援隊已累計出動車輛3000餘台次，兵力近9000人次，累計行車40餘萬公里，同時實現“零事故、零差錯、零感染”。

 “把來自不同軍兵種部隊的運力集結起來，成立一個混合編隊，由省軍區統一指揮調度，在省軍區歷史上還是第一次。”談起這支運力支援隊，湖北省軍區領導說，這個第一次，是國防動員系統改革重塑後擔負“協調軍地，面向三軍”新職能帶來的新變化。

 找准定位，才能守好戰位。一位老國動人這樣說，國防動員系統是軍地的紐帶和橋梁，“協調軍地，面向三軍”不能簡單地理解成一個概念、一個特點，它既是職能定位，也是使命戰位。

 記者了解到，在這場軍地協同戰“疫”中，國防動員系統各級主動融入地方疫情防控指揮機構，編入軍地聯防聯控機制，擔負軍地聯動應急指揮和軍地協調職能。通過對接當地黨委政府和駐軍部隊，建立起軍地情況通報、信息收集報送、應急情況處置等協作機制。

 “直升機來了！我們放心了！”2月12日，湖北襄陽、宜昌兩地醫療物資告急的緊要時刻，湖北省軍區協調指揮駐鄂空降兵某部派出2架軍用直升機，將數噸防疫醫療急需藥品和緊缺物資火速送達。

title: 探尋國防動員戰“疫”密碼


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／據日媒報道，自日本實施新安保法4年以來，美日安保防務合作呈現明顯“加速度”趨勢，並從以陸海空為代表的傳統作戰域向以太空、網絡和電磁空間為代表的新型作戰域延伸，兩國防務關係定位也從“美戰日援”向“並肩戰鬥”轉變。在新安保法為加速美日軍事一體化大開“方便之門”的同時，雙方在實際合作進程中的分歧與矛盾也逐漸顯現。

 陸海空合作齊頭並進

 2015年4月，新版《日美防衛合作指針》出台。2016年3月，日本政府實施新安保法，該法案以“重要影響事態”概念替代“周邊事態”概念，新增“存立危機事態”概念，從法律層面掃清了“集體自衛權”對美日安保防務合作的種種限制。在該法案的牽引與作用下，美日在陸海空等傳統作戰域的防務合作更加密切。

 2017年3月，負責統合日本陸上自衛隊指揮權的“陸上總隊”宣告成立，這是自1954年陸上自衛隊成立以來最大的一次機構改革。據悉，日方在“陸上總隊”設置了與美軍司令部共享情報的聯絡渠道。鑒於美軍與日本海空自衛隊之間的協調也由“陸上總隊”統一負責，此舉極大提升美日軍事合作的流暢程度。

 2016至2018年，日本海上自衛隊參與了多起保護美軍艦艇的“武器防務”任務，並為美艦提供燃料補給。日方還有意通過“出雲”號航母化改裝項目增加美日互動。

 2018年5月，美日航空力量在日本三澤基地首次舉行F-35戰機聯合演訓，美海軍陸戰隊戰機與日航空自衛隊同型戰機展開聯合行動。日防衛省表示，此次演訓旨在提升日航空自衛隊與美空軍之間的配合度，以強化美日同盟威懾力和危機應對力。

 合作向新型作戰域延伸

 在2019年美日防長和外長安全磋商會議上，兩國表現出對太空、網絡和電磁波譜等領域技術進步的關切，並致力共同應對挑戰。在隨後發布的聯合聲明中，雙方一致認為“國際法適用於網絡空間，在某些情況下，網絡攻擊可被視為武裝攻擊，因而適用於《美日安保條約》”。

 2019年12月，美日在舉行的“山櫻”年度例行演習中，將網絡防禦板塊嵌入演習全程，演練在日本本土或離島遭受多重攻擊的情況下，如何運用計算機對部隊實施指揮。同時，雙方人員還就如何在計算機系統遭遇電磁波攻擊的情況下保持指揮通暢等問題展開探討。對此，日陸上自衛隊官員表示，將電磁波和網絡等新領域與傳統軍力相融合，對進一步強化美日同盟來說意義重大。

 在太空合作方面，日本也緊跟美國步伐。繼美國正式組建“太空軍”後，日本宣布將於2020年成立“太空行動隊”。

countries: 美國 日本

title: 美日防務合作“加速度”引擔憂


content_text:
中評社香港4月8日電／因解除美國航母“西奧多·羅斯福”號艦長克羅澤職務所引發的風波，美國代理海軍部長莫德利7日向國防部長埃斯珀辭職。

 新華社報道，埃斯珀當天晚些時候在社交媒體上發表聲明說，他已接受莫德利的辭呈，並經總統特朗普同意，任命現任美國陸軍部副部長詹姆斯·麥克弗森接替莫德利擔任代理海軍部長。

 克羅澤3月下旬致信海軍高層說，艦上新冠病毒傳播加速，需盡快讓艦上多數官兵上岸。信件被美國媒體曝光，引發廣泛關注。莫德利4月2日以克羅澤對信件處理不當為由解除其艦長職務，引發民主黨人和眾多美國媒體批評。社交媒體視頻顯示，克羅澤離艦時，艦上大批官兵拍手呼喊“艦長克羅澤”致敬相送。

 4月6日，莫德利飛往關島，向停靠在那裡的“西奧多·羅斯福”號官兵發表內部講話，批評克羅澤的行為“太幼稚”“太愚蠢”。講話錄音當即被媒體曝光，眾議長佩洛西等國會民主黨人要求莫德利辭職。6日晚，莫德利發表聲明，就他指責克羅澤的言論道歉。

 “西奧多·羅斯福”號上約有5000名官兵，3月24日出現新冠病毒感染病例。美國海軍部7日說，目前61%的艦上人員已接受新冠病毒檢測，約2000人被轉移上岸。包括克羅澤在內，艦上確診官兵已達173人。

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countries: 香港 美國

events: 新冠肺炎 新冠病毒

people: 柯文哲 陳時中

title: 解除航母艦長職務引風波　美代理海軍部長辭職


people: 陳時中 柯文哲

title: 解除航母艦長職務引風波　美代理海軍部長辭職


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／據日本《日經亞洲評論》報道，俄羅斯近日透露，印度將再購買400輛T-90S坦克，並“極有可能”再訂購一批米格-29戰鬥機，引發各方關注。

 近年來，隨著印度經濟快速發展，印度軍費開支也水漲船高。2020年2月印度財政部提交的政府財政預算案顯示，印度2020年軍費同比去年增長6%，約合471.3億美元。由於印度國防工業基礎薄弱，印度大部分武器依賴進口。瑞典斯德哥爾摩國際和平研究所透露，2015年至2019年，印度是世界上第二大武器進口國，其進口武器總額占全球總量的9.2%。

 印度軍火市場曾長期被俄羅斯占據，兩國軍事合作可追溯到上世紀70年代。1974年印度進行首次核試驗後，西方國家停止對印軍售，印度轉而向蘇聯尋求武器裝備。在幾十年軍事合作的影響下，小到步槍，大到T-90坦克、航母，印軍裝備了大量俄制武器。

 過度依賴俄制裝備也給印度帶來一系列問題。以“維克拉瑪蒂亞”號航母為例，這艘航母改裝費用經俄羅斯兩次提價從8億美元上漲到23.5億美元，改造時間超過9年。加上俄羅斯很多武器裝備仍是蘇聯時代的技術，已不能完全滿足印度需要，這使印度迫切希望擴大武器來源。

 對美國而言，對印軍售既能拉攏印度，又能從俄羅斯嘴裡搶奪龐大軍售蛋糕。面對印度遞來的橄欖枝，美印雙方一拍即合，尤其是莫迪擔任印度總理後，美印軍售規模不斷攀升。2019年6月，印度向美國採購10架P8-I巡邏機。2020年2月，特朗普訪印期間又與印度簽訂價值30億美元的軍售合同。據統計，2007年以來，印度共從美國購買超過170億美元的武器，並準備在未來2至3年內再與美國簽訂100億美元的軍售合同。受此影響，俄制武器在印度軍貿中的占比一度從2009年至2013年的76%降至2014年至2018年的58%。

 面對美國“搶單”，俄羅斯加強了對印度軍火市場的爭奪，印度也逐漸意識到其“戰略自主”可能會因過度親美而受到損害。近年，印度開始加強與俄羅斯的軍事合作，先是與俄羅斯共同研發“布拉莫斯”超音速反艦導彈，參與蘇-57戰鬥機研製，又花費22億美元採購4艘護衛艦。2019年，印度頂著美國的壓力和制裁威脅，與俄羅斯達成價值高達52億美元的S-400防空系統採購合同。2019年9月，俄軍事技術合作局局長迪米特裡·舒加耶夫表示，截至9月4日，印度2019年向俄羅斯訂購了145億美元的武器裝備。

 印度憑借其地緣環境，以龐大軍火需求為籌碼，既可通過美俄競價增加其武器議價話語權，又能通過軍購合同調整與大國關係等，可謂一舉多得。因此，儘管存在弊端，印度仍將大量進口武器裝備。近年來，印俄軍事合作從單純買賣武器變為聯合研製，也表明印度不再是武器市場的“冤大頭”，美俄等國的軍售競爭也將愈發激烈。

 來源：中國國防報

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countries: 日本 俄羅斯 美國 中國 印度 瑞典

taiwan-subdivisions: 和平 大武

title: 美俄加緊爭奪印軍火市場


content_text:
中評社台中4月7日電（記者 方敬為）中國國民黨主席江啟臣上任以來領導方針頻受黨員質疑，包括兩岸論述不明朗、不分區“立委”考評、11人決策平台成立等，都出現反對聲浪。黨新任副秘書長、前“立委”顏寬恒向中評社表示，改革之路必然會出現不同聲音，這很正常，歡迎大家發聲討論，但還是籲請同志相信新的黨中央團隊，過去黨中央不足的部分，都在漸漸補強，團結一致，才有再起機會。

 現年43歲的顏寬恒是大甲鎮瀾宮董事長顏清標之子，2020尋求連任“立委”失利，受邀出任國民黨副秘書長，協助同為台中人的黨主席江啟臣推動改革。

 江啟臣接任國民黨黨魁，除了面對外部挑戰，改革所產生的內部阻力也不小，尤其在國民黨組織改造上，面對根深蒂固的組織文化，出手調整實屬不易。近期江啟臣提出“不分區“立委”考評機制”被批炮口對內，黨內鬥爭、“11人決策平台”又遭指責與中常會功能疊床架屋，在在挫傷新任主席的領導威望。

 針對江啟臣黨務領導所受到的內部挑戰，顏寬恒表示，新人新政，執行的過程中一定會出現衝突、摩擦，不可能大家都沒有意見，黨員願意發聲討論是好事，總比“悶著埋怨最後大爆發”來得好，黨中央提出的黨務方針會有不夠周延之處，透過黨內討論、群策群議，能夠讓黨務更完善穩妥，但他還是要籲請黨員，相信新的黨中央團隊，求新求變，才有進步機會。

 黨中央新的黨務方針有無必要性？大家可以思考，顏寬恒說，以近期遭受批評的11人決策平台來說，該平台主要用意在於，幫助黨更迅速反應來自各地的輿情，讓黨中央決策接地氣、貼合民意，這確實是過去中常會決策較欠缺的部分。

 顏寬恒指出，且中常會每周開會一次，未來11人決策平台的運行則是採取線上、即時的方式，讓各地首長、民代反映事務，這些都可以成為中常會決策黨務的參考依據，而中常會原本在黨內扮演的機制及功能並不會被取代，兩者相輔相成，沒有所謂疊床架屋的問題。

 至於黨內部分人士質疑新任黨中央團隊在做世代及權力鬥爭。顏寬恒表示，包括他在內好幾位副秘書長都是義務職，大家的出發點都是為黨著想，他認為，權力鬥爭、世代鬥爭的標籤對新團隊來說，有失公允，改革必然會有陣痛期，大家經過磨合後，應設法攜手一致，何況新黨魁也是透過黨內選舉產生，黨員應有志一同，減少相互指責，才是正道。

journalist: 方敬為

people: 顏寬恒 江啟臣 顏清標

political-parties: 新黨 中國國民黨

title: 江啟臣改革阻力大　顏寬恒喊話請相信新團隊


content_text:
中評社快評／海峽兩岸4日以共同連線直播的方式舉行祭拜軒轅黃帝典禮，台灣方面由新黨榮譽主席郁慕明擔任主祭，當天於台北市新黨黨部設置遙祭會場，透過連線與陝西現場同步祭祖。過去一直參與的國民黨，今年沒有參加，不見蹤影。

 翻查資料，從2009年起，國民黨每年都派代表參與陝西祭拜黃帝陵，包括前主席連戰、吳伯雄、洪秀柱、前副主席林豐正、蔣孝嚴等人都曾出席，吳敦義、朱立倫等前主席，都曾主持台灣民間舉辦的恭拜軒轅黃帝大典活動。

 直至2016年，清明時節遙祭黃帝陵，在台灣島內也是慣例，每年都由“內政部”主辦，在台北圓山“忠烈祠”舉行。三年多前民進黨重新上台執政以後，取消遙祭黃陵。民進黨當局的做法，被視為“去中國化”的一大動作。

 祭拜祖先、慎終追遠。國民黨一反常態，對祭拜軒轅黃帝不聞不問，說明了什麼？會有什麼後果？數典忘祖、閃躲兩岸一家人，自視為外人、自行疏遠、自外於大陸，非一個有理想、有歷史的大黨所當為。國民黨自我怯步，在一些支持者眼中是越來越爛，而非越來越強。

 “沒搞懂深層民意，國民黨就真完了”，這是中時7日發表的社論題目。根據旺旺中時最新民調，民進黨“立委”問政表現滿意度最高，為57%，其次是時代力量，46.4%，民眾黨也有31%，國民黨“立委”的滿意度墊底，只有22.8%。這個結果，令人大跌眼鏡，國民黨還有救嗎？外界質疑相信會進一步強化。

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 快評：特朗普暫時收口，“台獨”仍在傷人 (2020-03-25 01:16:18)

 快評：美國自私無承擔 台灣親美風險大 (2020-03-24 01:42:45)

 快評：兩岸脫鉤？先問台灣經濟準備好未 (2020-03-20 01:58:45)

countries: 美國 中國 台灣

people: 連戰 蔣孝嚴 吳斯懷 朱立倫 郁慕明 吳敦義 洪秀柱

political-parties: 時代力量 新黨

title: 快評：不祭黃陵自外於大陸　國民黨還有救嗎？


content_text:
中評社新竹4月8日電（記者 黃文杰）針對兩岸經濟合作架構協議（ECFA）即將到期，一旦中斷究竟對台灣經濟造成怎樣衝擊？新竹清華大學經濟系教授劉瑞華接受中評社訪問表示，如果到期沒有續簽，兩岸貨品進出口是會受到影響，但是更憂心的是社會觀感，兩岸互信基礎已經很不穩，加上這次病毒疫情，台灣可能會築起自我保護的圍籬。

 他說，過去陸客來不來台灣，主導權在大陸，未來台灣可能形成內部壓力，進而影響政策。如果觀光餐飲還是需要包括陸客等各國觀光客，政策上要想辦法怎樣化解，絕對不是光靠“大撒幣”的大量補貼，就能來度過難關，這樣也不利於正常的經濟發展。

 劉瑞華，美國聖路易華盛頓大學經濟學博士，1990年起在新竹清華大學經濟系教書，曾任該校經濟系主任，專長在經濟史， 制度經濟學，曾經擔任中國時報《開卷》書評小組成員，寫過報紙專欄、書評與書籍導讀，也曾兼任清華大學藝術中心主任。

 中評社問，ECFA即將到期，如果兩岸無法簽定ECFA，對台灣經濟會有怎麼影響？

 劉瑞華表示，兩岸的服務貿易與貨物貿易協議都沒有簽署，基本上，要推翻雙方原本的架構，看起來也沒有這個必要，真正差別在於雙方的做法。

 他解釋，對於台灣來說，台灣賣東西到大陸，比大陸賣東西到台灣來得多，也就是台灣出超大陸，台灣不太可能為了要保護台灣自己的產業，去限制或干預進口大陸的東西。反倒是台灣賣到大陸的東西，大陸有可能減少進口台灣的東西，看產品的性質，台灣經濟受到衝擊面是在這裡，實際受影響程度要進一步觀察。

 劉瑞華認為，比較憂心也比較嚴重的是社會的觀感，原本兩岸關係不是這麼好的基礎下，再加上一個病毒疫情，自然會築起自我保護的圍牆。好比說，過去大陸觀光客減少來台，主動權在大陸，由大陸來決定“准或不准”，疫情之後，可能要擔心，會不會台灣內部瀰漫一股氣氛，只要來自大陸的觀光客都不歡迎。

 他認為，過去民進黨操作這樣的政治議題，確實幫助順利連任成功，現在已經取得執政。如果希望台灣的經濟發展，是在兩岸合作基礎下正常發展，就要思考怎樣處理這樣的社會觀感，特別是在疫情告一段落。

 劉瑞華分析，ECFA架構下的兩岸經濟交流，如果只是貨物，還不見得感受這麼深，但是觀光客的部分，感受就很清楚。這段時間，幾乎是沒有陸客，等到疫情告一段落，陸客恢復來台，在政府要怎樣面對社會的氛圍，特別是相當比例仰賴包括陸客在內的各國觀光客的觀光餐飲業，這些產業必須要這些客人，政府在政策上要想辦法怎樣化解，這不是靠大撒幣、大量補貼就可以克服，

 被問到，或許有些人會認為，既然沒有陸客的日子都走過來，為何還要靠陸客過活？政府繼續撒錢就好？

 劉瑞華表示，觀光餐飲業，如果有更多的錢可以賺，當然要努力去賺，賺錢是不分顏色的，叫業者不要去賺某個地區的觀光客，用特別補貼來獎勵，其實相當不利於經濟發展。用補貼渡過難關會產生一些負面的影響，其實政府的補貼應該用在改善觀光內容與品質，投入更多的觀光建設，讓觀光資源變得更好，自然不管是日韓、歐美、東南亞甚至大陸旅客都可以吸引來台灣玩。

countries: 台灣 美國 中國

taiwan-subdivisions: 新竹 成功

title: 劉瑞華：ECFA若斷更憂心台灣民心


content_text:
中評社香港4月7日電（評論員 冬日）美國正深陷愈演愈烈的新冠大流行中，感染病例已超過36萬，死亡人數已超過1萬人，而且峰值尚未到來。在此關鍵時刻，美國尋求中國幫助，合作抗擊疫情的緊迫感增強，但相比於中國抗疫形勢好轉，美國人的焦慮感與怨恨感也在增強，抹黑推責、秋後算賬的衝動會隨著疫情升級而加劇。

 美國近百位深具影響力的兩黨前政府高官和知名專家學者日前聯名發出的聲明就體現了美國主流精英的這種情緒。這份題為“拯救美國、中國和全世界的生命”的聲明，首先認識到當前全球疫情的嚴峻性，急需大國展開合作。聲明說：“沒有美中兩國之間的某種程度的合作，任何抗擊冠狀病毒的努力，無論是在國內拯救美國人的生命，還是在國外抗擊這種疾病，都不會取得成功。”

 比美國更早經歷磨難的中國，有全世界其它國家不具備的醫藥防護產品的巨大產能；有全世界最完整、最專業的抗擊新冠的經驗；現在已經控制住國內疫情的中國，有能力騰出手來援助正處危難中的國家。不得不承認這個現實，美國主流精英希望中國在這時候也能向美國伸出援手，儘管經常四處抹黑中國的特朗普政府高官並不願意向中國“屈尊求助”。

 在美中戰略競爭愈益激烈的今天，美國主流精英呼籲美中抗疫合作，希望推動兩國地方政府、非政府組織、企業、科學家和普通公民之間的合作，尋求共同遏制和擊敗病毒的決心。這對於兩個肩負全球責任的大國，抓住應對共同挑戰的機會，通過務實合作，緩解大國關係不斷惡化的步伐，應當說具有正面的意義。

 這也是中美元首最近在兩國關係因為病毒源頭論戰而日趨緊張之時通電話，希望兩國能夠團結抗疫的宗旨所在。希望美國主流精英的最新呼聲，有助於加強兩國近日初現的合作抗疫的勢頭。

countries: 美國 中國 香港

events: 冠狀病毒 死亡

title: 社評：警惕美國既想抗疫合作又要秋後算賬


content_text:
中評社台北4月8日電（記者 倪鴻祥）武漢因疫情封城76天，今天0時起解封。目前滯留的數百名台胞被台灣官方註記，無法自行返台，下波包機也遙遙無期。從情理法來看，蔡政府都該取消註記讓他們儘早返台，恢復正常生活，小孩能順利就學上課。

 對於武漢台胞返台問題，陸委會表示，有關武漢解封後如何接返滯留“國人”事宜，尚待兩岸溝通安排，如有進一步結果，流行疫情中心會即時對外說明。陸委會主委陳明通日前在“立法院”質答說明，估計還有400多人滯留在當地等待接返，日前也有台商指出，滯留台胞包含1位罹患心臟病的2歲女童、高齡孕婦等較弱勢的陸配。

 檢視台灣官方前面三次讓湖北台胞返台，尤其最近一次，蔡政府未與大陸溝通，3月29、30日指定華航在上海2架定期航班的“類包機”模式，可以感受到蔡政府不願透過協商包機運送台胞返台，又不讓湖北台胞自行搭機返台。相較於歐美等重疫區台灣人仍能自由返台，究竟是政治問題還是防疫問題，大家心知肚明。

 就算是兩岸政治問題，蔡政府作為如同在懲罰湖北台胞，他們無法自行買機票回台，只能苦等專機安排，正如同2年前陸委會原擬要求台胞強制申報大陸居住證、原擬修法限制其公民權、拿自己人出氣是一樣的道理。

 事實上，正因兩岸有台胞、陸配及其子女的親情連繫，才能在當前衝突不斷的兩岸關係中緩和對立。

 從防疫層面來看，這些滯留台胞在武漢、湖北地區至少76天以上，均曾接受過新冠肺炎篩檢，取得健康證明，返台也須檢疫等等，而不是一拖再拖。

 就相關法律來看，除了“憲法”所訂人民居住、遷徒等基本自由外，台灣官方對待滯留湖北、武漢台胞，與對待歐美等其他地區返台民眾採雙重標準，難令人信服。

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countries: 台灣 中國

people: 陳明通 陳時中 蔡英文

taiwan-subdivisions: 三重 桃園

title: 中評關注：武漢解封　台胞可自由回台了吧！


content_text:
中評社台中4月8日電（記者 方敬為）針對新冠肺炎疫情對美中經貿的影響，台灣東海大學國際經營與貿易學系教授林灼榮向中評社表示，新冠肺炎疫情蔓延，全球經濟重創，各國將開始調整產業區位，產生“逆全球化效應”，對應到美中貿易角力，預期美國會加速對中國的經濟脫鉤。疫情過後，美中角力將不降反升。

 林灼榮，中興大學農業(應用)經濟博士，曾任“教育部”教學實踐研究計劃書審委員、公務人員高等普通考試閱卷委員、南京大學、中山大學、大連理工大學、常州工學院及北京語言大學短期講學、逢甲大學與東海大學國貿系系主任等職。研究專長包括，計量經濟學與企業研究方法、國際貿易、產業經濟學、管理經濟學等。

 關於新冠肺炎對全球經貿的影響，林灼榮說，根據麥肯錫（McKinsey & Company）最新報告指出，肺炎疫情衝擊全球經濟較樂觀預估，大約在今年第4季經濟走勢有望逐漸復原，較悲觀的預估恐要到明年前兩季才會復甦。就目前歐美疫情大爆發的情況來看，悲觀的預測可能性較高。

 而這波疫情源自中國大陸，在全球大受疫情損害的情況下，中國“世界工廠”的地位會被削弱，林灼榮解釋，因為在中國設代工廠的業者都會做風險評估，預期中國將出現一波企業出走潮。當“世界工廠”地位轉變，意味著“逆全球化效應”隨之攀升，延伸到美中貿易戰來看，不啻是美方對中方施壓的良機。

 林灼榮分析，根據新冠肺炎疫情發展脈絡，起初疫情爆發時，亞洲區域首先蔓延，當時歐美地區的疫情輕微，當時有一評估認為，在中國經濟能力減弱的情形之下，無力履行美中貿易協議，美國加碼施壓不只無意義，且失去正當性，預期美中貿易角力可能因為疫情而趨緩。

 但是，隨著疫情擴大，近期反而變成歐美病例大爆發，而當世界吹起“逆全球化”浪潮，美國在經濟劇烈損害的狀況下，很可能順勢強化對中國的經濟脫鉤，美中貿易戰與政治角力則是最好的實踐方式。

 林灼榮指出，從近期美、中兩方針對疫情發言隔空交火的情況，更能驗證貿易戰不會有所停歇，尤其中國大陸是全世界最大的貿易順差國，美國是全世界最大的貿易逆差國，美國先前就是為了讓美中經濟脫鉤，祭出經貿施壓，如今藉由疫情產生的逆全球化，更能順勢而為。這樣的趨勢對中國的經貿而言，恐怕不好過。

 林灼榮提到，值得關注的是，這波疫情將喚起人類如何善待地球生態與經濟貧富差距問題，當今世界正面臨高爾的“不願面對的真相”與韓國電影“寄生上流社會”雙困境;而且疫情所引發電子商務與數位貿易之新型無國界貿易，世界貿易組織(WTO)將面對嚴苛考驗。

countries: 韓國 台灣 美國 中國

events: 新冠肺炎 發電

title: 林灼榮：疫情重創美經濟　美中角力不降反升


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／近日，美國會研究服務處發布題為《美海軍結構及造艦計劃：背景及國會應關注的問題》的報告，該報告以實現並維持“355艦隊”為目標，對美國2021財年、未來5年乃至30年的海軍造艦計劃進行分析。報告內容涵蓋美海軍造艦計劃的裝備、數量和未來的艦隊架構，體現了美海軍致力於實現“355艦隊”目標的野心，其背後的戰略意圖不容忽視。

 成為美重要國策

 2016年12月，美海軍發布“兵力結構評估”，要求實現並維持一支由355艘特定類型和數量艦艇組成的艦隊。2017年12月12日，美國總統特朗普簽署《2018財年國防授權法案》，將實現“355艦隊”的目標定為美國國策。

 2019年3月，美海軍發布2020財年30年造艦計劃，進一步明確了“355艦隊”的造艦目標，近日美國會研究服務處發布的這份新報告，則是對造艦計劃諸多問題的細化研究。

 根據報告，2021財年，美海軍將要求採購8艘新艦船，申請總額為199億美元的造艦預算。在未來5年，美海軍計劃建造44艘艦艇，包括國會2020財年授權採購的LPD-31兩棲運輸艦和LHA-9兩棲攻擊艦。美海軍尚未提交2021財年30年造艦計劃，但從其2020財年30年造艦計劃中可以推測，未來美國將新增304艘艦船，或以每年10艘的速度進行擴充。達到355艘後，美軍艦船將會保持一種動態的穩定，通過艦船的更新換代逐步提升其海上實力。

 此外，美海軍造艦計劃將根據其每年發布的“兵力結構評估”進行調整。報告稱，這份“兵力結構評估”將於今年春季發布，根據這份評估，美海軍應建造390艘有人艦艇及45艘無人艦艇。作為造艦計劃的指導性綱領，新的“兵力結構評估”可能促使美海軍艦隊進行變革。有關官員表示，未來，美海軍艦隊將轉向更分散的架構，減少大型船只的比例，小型船舶、無人水面航行器和無人水下航行器將逐步增多。

 造艦計劃陷困境

 報告認為，雖然美國造艦計劃目標明確，對快速擴大艦隊規模和增強制海作戰能力具有現實指導意義，但想要實現並不容易。

 一方面，預算問題是困擾美海軍發展的重要難題。美海軍官員表示，要在未來10年實現“355艦隊”目標，需要將海軍的預算總額增加1200億至1300億美元，這一數字包括購置新艦的費用，還包括艦船的人員配備、武裝、運營和維護等費用，也就是說，如果未來幾年美海軍實際預算保持在當前水平，將無法負擔超過300艘艦船。

title: 美海軍造艦計劃凸顯霸權野心


countries: 瑞典 中國 美國 印度 俄羅斯 日本

title: 美俄加緊爭奪印軍火市場


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中評社高雄4月7日電（記者 蔣繼平）罷免中國國民黨韓國瑜投票可望在6月登場，國民黨高雄市大寮區黨部主委郭倫豪接受中評社訪問分析表示，若韓遭罷免，國民黨也會推罷免蔡英文，將來可能變成藍綠惡鬥，但也變成必須去做的事情，整個社會氛圍會被改變。藍營支持者在經歷韓被罷免後的情緒下，定會願意去從事罷免蔡英文行動，之後會變成新一波的戰爭，民進黨是否會在新戰場得利？恐怕還是未知數。

 郭倫豪，1975年生，高雄人。加拿大卡加利大學（ University of Calgary ）經濟系、中山大學EMBA、高雄科技大學財經管理碩士。目前擔任健統實業股份有限公司副總經理，負責鋼構油漆工程，繼承家業在地經營40年。

 對於韓國瑜未來走向，郭倫豪觀察，韓國瑜之前打2020大選選戰和民進黨針鋒相對，目前採取守勢也是一種策略，避免言多必失。但現在重點都在韓國瑜上，其他縣市首長要互相聲援有限，就要看黨中央怎麼整合。藍營縣市首長馬上要面臨2022連任壓力，當選後要對選民交代，一定會放在市政上面，只要能夠保住席次，就是幫國民黨很大的忙了。

 對於韓國瑜的策略，他表示，一味只有防守絕對搶不到聲量，所以後期應會採取反擊態勢，但會採比較軟性的方式，避免激化對立。但以高雄市民來說，“市政”和“要不要支持誰”完全是兩回事，高雄選民仍比較偏向情感面上，所以還是要用情感面來表達訴求。

 郭倫豪觀察，韓國瑜這陣子一直在用這種方式，譬如幫農漁民賣產品，找馬來西亞創作藝人黃明志來拍宣傳片，都是嘗試在開拓新戰場，但媒體似乎認為不怎麼重要，對手挑不到毛病也就不打，等於雙方陣營都在找各自有利的方式在操作。

 那成效大不大，原因為何？他表示，面對鋪天蓋地的媒體是很困難，之前韓拚大選是因為全台性的議題，焦點自然會在韓身上，但現在拚市政，要講出一個事件引起共鳴，就會有點欲振乏力。民意如流水，能夠不被淹沒的人很少，所以要不斷嘗試、加大好感度、去找突破口。

 韓國瑜有沒有被罷免，是否會影響後續國民黨的布局？郭倫豪認為，若罷免案投票通過，韓會變成不確定因素，對民進黨好或不好要打一個問號。韓國瑜可以拚黨主席，專心打民進黨和蔡英文，身為在野黨，全天候的監督，講什麼都可以，相信會比較適合韓的模式。但身為行政首長，韓講話就會比較收斂。

journalist: 蔣繼平

countries: 馬來西亞 加拿大

people: 蔡英文 韓國瑜

taiwan-subdivisions: 高雄市 中山 大寮區 高雄

title: 郭倫豪驚爆韓若被罷免　藍將推罷蔡英文


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中評社華盛頓4月6日電（記者 余東暉）美國新冠疫情迎來專家說的“最艱難一週”，病例和死亡人數仍在激增中，到6日深夜已報病例36.8萬，死亡近1.1萬例。但美國疫情“震中”紐約州連續兩天病例數和死亡數均有所下降，紐約州長希望這是疫情“曲線趨平”的跡象。

 到美東時間6日深夜23點，根據約翰·霍普金斯大學的統計，美國已累計發現新冠病例368196個，比前一天增加3萬多例；報告死亡10986例，比前一天增加1300多例，增速又比昨天加快。到深夜23點30分，根據北美“一畝三分地”實時統計，病例數已達368299，比前一天增加3萬多例；死亡11000例，比前一天增加1321例；病死率為3%，死亡率還在逐漸上升。美國疾病防控中心（CDC）到6日下午更新確認330891個病例，死亡8910人。

 美國疫情中心紐約州的病例和死亡人數連續兩天比4日稍有放緩，現已發現病例近13.2萬，死亡4758人。其中紐約市區病例7.2萬多，死亡3485人。紐約州長葛謨周一在新聞發布會上表示，死亡人數“兩天來幾乎持平”，都不到600人，少於4日的630人。他認為，疫情“可能出現曲線趨平”，插管、住院和重症監護的總人數也在下降，這些都是“好跡象”。

 針對有人不遵守“社交疏離”的“居家令”，葛謨宣佈，將把最高罰款提高一倍至1千美元。他還將要求特朗普總統讓有1000個床位的海軍醫療船“安慰號”用於治療新冠患者。特朗普在傍晚的白宮記者會上首肯了這個請求。

journalist: 余東暉

title: 死亡近1.1萬 美新冠疫情迎來最艱難一週


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中評社新竹4月7日電（記者 黃文杰）蔡英文第二任即將在5月20日開始，未來四年可以繳出怎樣成績單？特別是兩岸與國際關係？民進黨前新竹縣長林光華接受中評社訪問表示，蔡英文不用宣布台灣“獨立建國”，因為台灣已經主權獨立，未必要凸顯“一邊一國”概念，只要維持“和平、對等、民主、對話”八字箴言就好，就已經99分，花四年時間，加入世界衛生組織（WHO）就算重大突破，再加100分，如果能夠加入聯合國，那就更好。

 林光華，民進黨創黨元老之一，客家雜誌社社長，曾任兩屆“立委”，一屆新竹縣長（1997年－2001年）、台灣省主席（2004年－2006年），桃竹苗客家信仰中心新竹縣新埔褒忠義民廟去年底董事會改選，林光華新任義民廟董事會董事長，他在義民廟接受中評社訪問。

 美國總統特朗普3月26日簽署“台北法案”（Taipei Act），強化台美夥伴關係，包括美國支持台灣維繫“邦交”，支持台灣參與國際活動，推動雙方經濟貿易談判等，是否讓台灣陷入台海危機？蔡英文第二任即開始，四年之後，可以繳出怎樣的成績單？

 林光華認為，兩岸關係根本不必擔心，蔡英文擔任過陸委會主委，有過兩岸談判經驗，是主角不是配角，有這樣的經驗，當然能夠忍得住，不去挑釁也不畏懼，很不簡單，第一個“女“總統”有這樣的本事，絕無僅有，過去有四年的執政經驗，未來四年更成熟，尤其看到“立委”未能連任的蕭美琴開始接“國安會”諮詢委員，加入蔡英文團隊，可以在外交系統扮演更靈活的角色，不管特朗普是否連任，台美關係穩固，台灣也已經被全世界肯定，功不可沒。

 他說，蔡英文未來四年，不用宣布台灣“獨立建國”，因為台灣已經主權獨立，要知道，馬英九2012年跟蔡英文競選，馬譏諷蔡兩岸關係說不清楚，不過馬只有說“不統、不獨、不武”，要知道任何法律或法學專家，提出“不統不獨”，這是怎樣的政見主張？。

 跟蔡英文無話不談的林光華，透露2012大選，曾建議蔡乾脆退到“一中各表”，無奈最後蔡英文為了不要得罪獨派，後來又說不清楚，不然民進黨更早執政，後來看到蔡選2016喊“維持現狀”、選2020喊“中華民國台灣”，當然美國最早還是希望兩個中國，現在的美台關係，都是站在“國家與國家”立場來處理，包括簽署“台北法案”以及AIT對台灣的大力支持，證明台美密不可分，

 被問到，AIT主席莫健建認為，兩岸軍事衝突風險高，台灣要全面備戰，台海戰爭可能一觸即發？

 他說，懂戰略的人都知道，大陸挑起戰爭，武力攻台，得不償失，即使針對台灣的電廠、水庫攻擊癱瘓民生經濟，台灣也有能力還擊，對於大陸沿海城市進行癱瘓，這樣的“按鈕”報復，最壞就是兩敗俱傷，況且台美關係這麼密切，即使美國現在飽受疫情衝擊，看起來很弱，但是中國要跟美國敵對，其實還早得很。

countries: 台灣 中華民國 美國 中國

people: 蔡英文 林光華 馬英九 蕭美琴

taiwan-subdivisions: 新埔 褒忠 新竹縣 新竹 和平

title: 林光華談蔡英文執政目標　加入世衛和聯合國


content_text:
中評社華盛頓4月7日電（記者 余東暉）美國衛生高官警告迎來新冠疫情“最艱難、最悲傷”一周的前兩天，美國新增死亡人數連創新高。到7日深夜，當天新增死亡超過1800例，累計死亡人數接近1.3萬；新冠病例接近40萬。根據最新調整的模型預測，如果美國人能堅持保持社交距離，則到今年8月美國新冠死亡人數可控制於8.2萬以內。

 到美東時間7日晚間22點45分，根據約翰·霍普金斯大學的統計，美國已累計發現新冠病例398809個，比前一天增加3萬多例；報告死亡12895例，比前一天增加1800多例，日增死亡數再創新高。根據北美“一畝三分地”到深夜23點15分實時統計，病例數已達401513，比前一天增加3萬多例；死亡12931例，比前一天增加1906例；病死率為3.2%，死亡率進一步上升。美國疾病防控中心（CDC）到7日下午更新確認374329個病例，死亡12064人。

 根據《華盛頓郵報》統計，美國新冠死亡人數周二增加了1800多起，創單日新增死亡數新高，顯示美國新冠疫情正在迎來最痛苦的時期。

 不過，一個有影響力的模型預測，在未來4個月裡，新冠疫情將在美國導致81766人死亡，醫院床位需求量將略低於14.1萬張。這比上周四估計的死亡人數少了1.2萬人，醫院床位也少了12.1萬張。

title: 美新冠病例近40萬 出現死亡高峰


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中評社台北4月7日電（記者 黃筱筠）新冠肺炎疫情升高，蔡政府春假前未示警，假期中發現各景點大爆滿緊急發佈警訊，呼籲民眾不要前往11處觀光景點。假期後蔡英文、防疫指揮官陳時中等都開始戴上口罩，指揮中心罕見一天開兩次記者會，官員自保的動作，顯示出台灣疫情非常嚴峻。

 尤其，官方未在春假前做好防備，4天連假人潮噴出，防疫很可能出現破口，但蔡政府卻不敢採取強制措施，例如要求餐廳只能做外賣、KTV等夜店休館、夜市叫停，或是停課等，一旦確診人數快速上升，蔡政府防疫的滿意度很快受挫。

 蔡英文在春假前夕宣布將捐贈1千萬片口罩給歐美等國家，官方更宣稱口罩日產量已經逼近1500萬片，但台灣民眾排隊買口罩的情形並未緩解，很多民眾還是抱怨買不到口罩。加上疫情指揮中心指揮官陳時中6日還親自示範用電鍋蒸口罩，如果口罩真的夠用，需要這樣“再利用嗎？”況且過去指揮中心也質疑過口罩蒸過後，是否還有防護力，疫情中心帶頭“蒸口罩”，難道不是凸顯口罩可能不夠用的問題。

 春假前蔡英文率官員出來呼籲說物資都充足不需要搶購，許多民眾在蔡政府種種呼籲下，加上一再宣稱台灣防疫讓世界都看見，讓民眾感覺台灣疫情控制的很好，心情鬆懈，便利用4天連假出外遊玩走春。既然蔡政府一再強調防疫控制的好，還要民眾不要“出國”玩，留在台灣玩，那民眾趁著長假出遊，為何過程中還要接到的警訊？

 難道疫情指揮中心事前都沒有掌握到這樣的狀況？還是疫情指揮中心也不敢得罪台灣觀光業者，還是蔡政府根本沒有說實話，疫情的狀況已經更加嚴峻，確診病例會持續攀升。

 疫情中心發出景點警訊像是馬後砲，也像是撇清責任，反正警訊已經發了，各公司、學校若擔心就自己去因應。金融業馬上就要求有去過相關景點者，要在家辦公不能到公司，這是施加社會壓力給這些出遊的人，讓社會其他人去貼這些人標籤。但若是疫情指揮中心預判到疫情越會更嚴峻，應該要在春假前提醒民眾勿出遊，而不是事後警告這些出遊的人。

 日本疫情將進入更加嚴峻的狀況，日本首相安倍晉三可能在今天宣布，包括東京等進入緊急事態為期一個月。當各國都嚴格對待新冠肺炎時，蔡政府擔心打破自己的“防疫神話”，許多因應狀況根本沒有“超前部署”，甚至已經在事後彌補，蔡政府應該正視疫情的嚴峻狀況，嚴正以對，否則神話破滅是遲早的事。

journalist: 黃筱筠

countries: 日本 台灣

people: 蔡英文 陳時中

title: 中評關注：蔡政府防疫神話瀕臨破滅


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電（評論員 林艶）新冠肺炎疫情席捲全球207個國家和地區，確診病例已超百萬，勢頭至今未見衰減。很多人將此次疫情與公元前430年雅典瘟疫、公元541年查士丁尼瘟疫、中世紀歐洲黑死病、16世紀美洲大瘟疫和一戰時期的西班牙流感等相提並論，並認為其傳播速度之快、感染範圍之廣、染病人口之多，有過之而無不及。歷次大瘟疫，使雅典由盛轉衰，東羅馬帝國一蹶不振，歐洲文明進程被徹底改寫，美洲加速進入殖民時代，一戰被迫提前結束，不斷展現出影響大國國運、重塑世界格局的歷史之力。可以想見，多少年後，當人們回顧21世紀20年代初新冠肺炎的全球大流行，同樣會看到，人類社會即將因這一重大疫情而走入新的重大變局。

 作為疫情的首先發現地，以及唯一在疫情應對上已由被動轉入主動的大國，中國，無疑正處於這場大變局的中心。疫情對中國的歷史性影響，將絕不止於公共安全衛生和經濟社會發展層面，還會在很大程度上重塑中國發展的外部環境。應當看到，面對疫情攪動下國際形勢的變化，中國在“上半場”迫於防疫壓力，處理上偏重防禦和適應，重在化解西方的指責攻擊和一些國家地區的排華情緒；而隨著本土疫情基本得到遏制和各國疫情的井噴式爆發，“下半場”的中國，在疫情外交方面逐漸具備了從被動適應走向主動作為的有利條件，但也不可避免遭到了世界舊秩序舊格局的強大反撲和阻力。我們認為，現階段，中國對外關係面臨三重角力，能否在此過程中興利除弊，化危為機，將從根本上決定著後疫情時代中國面臨著怎樣的國際新格局。

 第一，人類命運共同體與“逆全球化”思潮之間的角力。近年來，美歐主要國家出現“逆全球化”思潮，受其影響，疫情發生後，西方國家各掃門前雪的心態十分突出，使此次疫情防控成為自冷戰以來人類在重大危機面前最為渙散的一次國際合作。不僅如此，病毒的跨國傳播加劇了部分人對全球化的批判，一些西方學者甚至因中國前期停工停產提出要反思對中國的過分依賴，“逆全球化”借疫情進一步蔓延的風險可見一斑。與此同時，從最初的隔岸觀火到後來深陷其中，疫情的發展也讓西方很多有識之士意識到，人類文明已經回不到以鄰為壑就可獨善其身的時代，各國唯有順應潮流、加強合作，才能更好應對全人類的共同挑戰，這為人類命運共同體理念的傳播提供了新的時代條件。在兩種對立思潮被同時催穀的關鍵時刻，中國能否圍繞疫情開展有效的話語構建和行動示範，推動人類命運共同體理念在思潮博弈中占優乃至勝出，營造出於己有利的國際潮流，勢將成為擺在中國對外關係面前的一道重大課題。

countries: 中國 西班牙

things: 防疫 經濟

title: 社評：疫情下中國對外關係的三重角力


countries: 日本 美國

title: 美日防務合作“加速度”引擔憂


content_text:
中評社北京4月8日電／庚子新春，一場突如其來的新冠肺炎疫情來襲，其傳播速度之快、防控難度之大，前所未有。緊要關頭，一場疫情防控的人民戰爭、總體戰、阻擊戰打響，中國力量、中國速度、中國方案，舉世矚目。

 在這場沒有硝煙的戰“疫”中，國防動員系統聞令而動、奮勇衝鋒，發揮獨特作用，展現獨特風采。這是一次對國防動員系統改革重塑和遂行使命任務能力的全面檢驗，給加強新時代國防動員體系建設帶來諸多啟示。

 這是一次軍地協同戰。協調軍地，面向三軍——

 是職能定位，更是使命戰位

 駐鄂部隊抗擊疫情運力支援隊是這次武漢保衛戰的一道溫暖風景。這支隊伍由陸軍、空軍和軍事院校等6支駐軍部隊緊急抽調130輛軍用卡車、260餘名官兵組成，主要擔負保障武漢各大醫院和武漢市民醫療、生活物資正常供應任務。值得一提的是，這支運力支援隊經中央軍委批准和中部戰區命令，由湖北省軍區直接協調指揮。

 截至目前，該運力支援隊已累計出動車輛3000餘台次，兵力近9000人次，累計行車40餘萬公里，同時實現“零事故、零差錯、零感染”。

 “把來自不同軍兵種部隊的運力集結起來，成立一個混合編隊，由省軍區統一指揮調度，在省軍區歷史上還是第一次。”談起這支運力支援隊，湖北省軍區領導說，這個第一次，是國防動員系統改革重塑後擔負“協調軍地，面向三軍”新職能帶來的新變化。

 找准定位，才能守好戰位。一位老國動人這樣說，國防動員系統是軍地的紐帶和橋梁，“協調軍地，面向三軍”不能簡單地理解成一個概念、一個特點，它既是職能定位，也是使命戰位。

 記者了解到，在這場軍地協同戰“疫”中，國防動員系統各級主動融入地方疫情防控指揮機構，編入軍地聯防聯控機制，擔負軍地聯動應急指揮和軍地協調職能。通過對接當地黨委政府和駐軍部隊，建立起軍地情況通報、信息收集報送、應急情況處置等協作機制。

 “直升機來了！我們放心了！”2月12日，湖北襄陽、宜昌兩地醫療物資告急的緊要時刻，湖北省軍區協調指揮駐鄂空降兵某部派出2架軍用直升機，將數噸防疫醫療急需藥品和緊缺物資火速送達。

title: 探尋國防動員戰“疫”密碼


countries: 美國 香港

events: 新冠病毒 新冠肺炎

title: 解除航母艦長職務引風波　美代理海軍部長辭職


content_text:
前高市新聞局長王淺秋、考紀會主委葉慶元赴台北高等行政法院遞狀，要求停止罷免案投票。（中評社 倪鴻祥攝）

 中評社台北4月8日電（記者 倪鴻祥）高雄市選委會4月7日宣布罷韓二階連署過關，可能6月舉行罷免高雄市長韓國瑜投票。由於罷免連署被質疑在韓就任未滿1年以前即偷跑，因此韓國瑜今天上午委託前高雄市新聞局長王淺秋、具律師資格的考紀會主委葉慶元赴台北高等行政法院呈遞行政訴訟停止執行聲請狀，要求停止罷免案投票。

 依據選罷法規定，罷免案必須在公職人員就職滿1年才能提出，但發起罷韓連署的綠營團體“wecare高雄”疑在韓國瑜就任高雄市長未滿1年以前偷跑，以致在2019年12月25日韓就職滿一週年的隔日、即12月26日就送出3萬份罷免提案連署，因此造成外界疑慮。

 國民黨包括黨中央及“立法院”黨團，7日不約而同舉行記者會聲援韓國瑜，不只質疑罷免連署偷跑違法，也質疑“中選會主委”李進勇違法護航讓罷免連署過關。

 國民黨主席江啟臣已指派出身高、屏地區的組發會主委葉壽山擔任韓團隊與黨中央的聯繫窗口，協助韓國瑜度過罷免危機為重點任務。＜nextpage＞＜nextpage＞＜nextpage＞

people: 韓國瑜 江啟臣 李進勇 葉壽山

title: 韓國瑜啟動法律戰　遞狀聲請停止罷免投票


content_text:
中評社香港4月8日電（記者 郭至君綜合編譯）昨日英國各大媒體網站首頁幾乎都被首相約翰遜進入ICU治療新冠肺炎的新聞刷屏，這是全英國也是全世界都關心的重大內容。中評社記者在英國《每日電訊報》上瀏覽了多篇文章，發現英國的多位專業醫生都指出，新冠病毒是狡猾的，難以對付的，而現在，首相的醫療團隊當務之急地就是，照顧並盡力使得已經出現呼吸困難症狀的首相能夠康復。

 文章指出，將冠狀病毒患者轉移到重症監護病房的決定絕不是輕率之舉，它清楚地表明，患者需要人工支持來幫助他們的身體擊退病毒。現代重症監護病房提供廣泛的生命支持系統，其中氧氣和機械通氣只是兩個選擇。英國時間周一晚間有報道稱，至少在最初階段，首相約翰遜沒有戴上呼吸機，更有可能的是，他在接受通過面罩輸送的氧氣時，正在仔細監測自己的生命體征。雖然機械通氣時病人通常是無意識的，但氧氣治療不需要這樣。

 需要注意的是，重症監護並不能“治愈”冠狀病毒。由於缺乏對抗這種疾病的特定藥物，它只提供了醫生所說的“支持性護理”。在嚴重的情況下，這種病毒會攻擊肺部，引起病毒性肺炎。這個過程非常快，讓病人和醫生都大吃一驚。照顧首相的醫生們似乎不太可能事先沒有預料到這種可能性，而他可能只是被轉移到重症監護病房以防萬一。

 埃克塞特大學醫學院的高級臨床講師巴拉特•潘卡尼亞博士告訴《每日電訊報》:“這很難知道。因為是首相，所以每個人都會感到不安，他們會非常謹慎。”在嚴重的情況下，如果有必要的話，氧氣和後期的換氣可以有效地減輕病人生命系統的壓力，讓他們有更好的機會對抗病毒。在最嚴重的病例中，冠狀病毒患者對病毒有過強的免疫反應，這可能導致嚴重的炎症和對肺部組織的損傷。在其他相對健康的病人中，這種反應——醫生目前還不完全了解——可能是最危險的。

 東英吉利大學醫學教授保羅•亨特此前曾指出，重症監護國家審計與研究中心收集的早期數據表明，對19名新冠病毒患者的重症監護不如對其他類型的病毒性肺炎有效。“不幸的是，大約一半(50.1%)進入重症監護的病例仍然死亡。這遠遠高於其他病毒性肺炎(22.4%)。為什麼會出現這種情況，如果沒有重症監護床位，這個數字會高出多少，目前還不清楚。”而對於首相這個年齡的人來說，這種幾率上升到54%。

journalist: 郭至君綜合編譯

countries: 香港 英國

events: 死亡 冠狀病毒 新冠肺炎 新冠病毒

title: 中評編譯：為何英首相入ICU決定不易做？