Taipei  - Taiwan plans to allow its government officials, military personnel and state enterprise executives to visit China in view of eased cross-strait tension, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The China Times quoted Premier Liu Chao-shiuan as saying that Taipei will soon lift the ban on officials, state enterprise executives and military personnel visiting China.

Taipei  - Forty years ago, then-president Chiang Kai-shek called on Taiwan's people to fight communism and recover mainland China.

Today, President Ma Ying-jeou is urging them to trade with China and welcome Chinese investment in Taiwan.

Taipei - Taiwan has decided to stage its major war games every other year instead of holding them annually, a senior military official said Thursday amid a thaw in previously hostile relations with China.

"Because the cycle of the live-fire Hankuang Exercises is too short, making it difficult for the military to have adequate time to correct and adjust shortcomings found in each drill, we have decided to hold the series of drills every other year instead of annually," Defence Minister Chen Chao-min said at a legislative session in Taipei.

Taipei - A Taiwan man who peeped at a neighbour changing her clothes and complained to her that her breasts were too small has been indicted, a newspaper said Thursday.

Police alleged that the man, identified only by his surname Liao, had spied for two years on his neighbour Liu, 30, who lived in an apartment 5 metres from his balcony, to the United Daily News said.

Police said that on July 29, Liao stole a letter from Liu's mailbox, opened it and wrote on the back: "You are very graceful when you take off your clothes, but your breasts are too small. I hope you can wear less or wear nothing at all when you are at home. I have been watching you for a long time, so you don't need to be shy."

Taipei  - Taiwan plans to apply for world heritage status for the complex Chinese characters that China stopped using after 1949 but Taiwan continues to use today, a newspaper said Thursday.

Taiwan plans to set up a task force in February to prepare for making the application to UNESCO, the United Daily News quoted Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan as saying.

It was not clear whether Taiwan's not being a member of the United Nations would hinder the effort, but Taiwan's government does not believe China would oppose the move because the complex characters are part of the Chinese heritage, the News said.

Taipei - Taiwan's High Court Wednesday ordered the Taipei District Court to review its earlier ruling in favour of releasing scandal-tainted former president Chen Shui-bian from pre-trial detention.

The decision dealt a fresh blow to Chen, whom prosecutors sought to place back in custody after indicting him Friday on charges of corruption and money laundering.

"While considering the possibility over whether the defendant would flee Taiwan, the high court has also thought of the possibility that the defendant might collude with others to tamper with evidence," said judge Wen Yao-yuan, spokesman of the high court.