not the truth

Taipei Times - archives: "Despite the absence of the usual formal festivities to celebrate the Republic of China’s (ROC) 98th national day this year, many overseas Taiwanese held their own celebrations to commemorate the day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.

In early August, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) announced the cancellation of all ­government-sponsored national day celebrations and receptions after Typhoon Morakot swept through southern Taiwan. The money that would have been spent by overseas representative offices and embassies for the national day, estimated at around NT$70 million (US$2.1 ­million) by MOFA, would be transferred to the flood relief fund, MOFA deputy spokesman James Chang (章計平) said."