Ralph Jennings

Chinese media on Friday dismissed Washington's call to lift internet censorship, but the critical Chinese reports were then cut from websites.

China sought to contain tension with the US over online censorship and hacking, saying Google's dispute with Beijing should not be over-stated.

Former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian, known for fiery anti-China rhetoric while in office, was found guilty of corruption on Friday.

China denounced a proposed trip to Taiwan by the Dalai Lama on Thursday, saying any such visit threatened to ''sabotage'' improving relations.

Pressure mounted on Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday to speed up operations to rescue hundreds of residents stranded after typhoon Morakot.

Helicopters dropped rescuers into a village in southern Taiwan on Tuesday to search for victims of a mudslide that may have buried up to 600 people.

Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party's (KMT) presidential candidate, Ma Ying-jeou, has won more than half the vote in Saturday's election, the party said, auguring improved ties with diplomatic rival China. Ma had won more than seven million votes, the party said, more than half the total 13-million people who cast their ballot.

Sun Moon Lake has been compared to a classical Chinese landscape painting with its crystal waters reflecting surrounding snow-capped mountains. But a hotel building boom around the mountain resort in central Taiwan has locals and environmentalists worried the unspoilt beauty of the lake, which draws three million tourists a year, might be ruined.

A tropical island off the coast of Taiwan has become a victim of its own success as pollution caused by a recent spike in tourism threatens its reputation as the best diving spot in East Asia. The aptly named 15 square kilometre Green Island, an hour's ferry ride from Taiwan's main isle, is fast losing its lustre due to garbage and excrement dumped into its azure waters and shrinking reefs plundered by coral-robbing tourists.

A strong typhoon headed for China on Sunday after killing five people, injuring 53 and cutting power to more than two million people in Taiwan as it lashed the island with heavy rain and high winds. Typhoon Krosa was on course to reach China at noon while continuing to dump rain on Taiwan, forecasters said.

Typhoon Krosa slammed into Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rains on Saturday forcing hundreds to evacuate and cutting power to thousands as it headed toward mainland China. In China, authorities in the eastern province of Zhejiang ordered officials back to work from their National Day vacation to prepare for the storm, the China Daily reported.

On this all but forgotten Pacific isle ruled by Taiwan, villagers have carved a traditional wooden fishing boat to teach their culture to an ethnic Chinese majority largely unaware of their existence. Twelve men will row the boat more than 65km eastward to Taiwan's main population centres where they will show off their way of life to locals.