Taipei - Taiwan will launch the "One Dollar First Night" campaign to lure transfer air passengers to spend at least one night in Taipei, an official said Monday.

The Tourism Bureau said it will launch the promotion campaign in May because each year 2 million foreigners pass through Taiwan airports without visiting the island.

Taipei - Taiwan said Thursday it did not oppose to its longtime ally El Salvador's possibly establishing diplomatic ties with the island's political rival China.

"What we care is to secure our relations" with El Salvador, said Taiwan's foreign minister Francisco Ou.

His comment came after El Salvador's new President-elect Maurico Funes said Wednesday he would consider establishing diplomatic ties with China when he was to take office on June 1.

Taipei  - Taiwan's farm exports rose 12 per cent in value year-on-year, with rice and carrot exports surging more than 100 per cent, due to growing overseas demand, a newspaper said Wednesday.

According to the United Evening News, Taiwan's 2008 farm exports hit 3.8 billion US dollars, up 12 per cent from 2007, bringing exports up to pre-1997 levels, when and outbreak of pig foot-and-mouth disease crashed meat exports.

Taipei - Taiwan's pool champion Wu Chia-ching has rejected Taiwan's offer to keep him in Taiwan and is determined to play for Singapore, a newspaper said Tuesday.

The Apple Daily said Wu has rejected the Chinese-Taipei Billiard Association's condition for putting him back on the Taiwan team.

The association had said it would find Wu a sponsor in exchange for his promising not to play for a foreign country for three years.

Taipei  - Taiwan's former first lady Wu Shu-chen Tuesday denied that she had embezzled government money during a face-off with a defendant-turned-witness at a Taipei trial.

"All the money was used by president Chen for public events and secret diplomatic missions," said Wu, who was charged along with her husband Chen Shui-bian with embezzlement, acceptance of bribes, money laundering and document forgery.

Taipei - The 2009 Taipei International Cycle Show opened Tuesday with nearly 800 exhibitors showcasing products and designs.

The four-day show was expected to attract 30,000 potential buyers. A total of 938 bike producers from 55 countries submitted entries to a design contest.

Taiwan used to be known as the "Bicycle Kingdom," but has shifted from mass-producing ordinary bikes to producing only high-end models in recent years.