Taipei - Taiwan wants to apply for world cultural heritage status for its sky lantern festival, but may meet obstacles as it is not a member of the United Nations, an official said Monday.

Taipei - Taiwan's ruling Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), came under fire Monday from opposition lawmakers who said it was selling out the island to China by promoting cross-strait unification.

Lai Ching-te, caucus leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), criticized the KMT, referring to a controversial statement made by KMT Vice Chairman Kuan Chung during a visit to China earlier this month. Kuan said it was a KMT goal to unify Taiwan and China.

"Unification will take care of itself if the KMT remains as governing party for a long time," Kuan was quoted as saying by China's state-run People's Daily newspaper last week.

Taipei  - Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou is expected to visit allies Paraguay and the Dominican Republic in mid-August to cement ties, a well-placed government source said Sunday.

Taipei - A Russian pr

Taipei - A moderate earthquake, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, shook northern Taiwan Friday, but no damage or casualties were reported, seismologists and police said.

Taipei- Taiwan's stocks ended 2.39 per cent higher as investors hunted for bargains following Wall Street's overnight gains, dealers said.