Taipei

A powerful earthquake measuring 6,6 on the Richter scale rocked Taiwan on Wednesday, followed by one with a magnitute of 5,1, seismologists said. An agency official said there were some landslides in southern Taiwan and telecommunications systems in some areas were interrupted.

Taiwan may not be recognised by many as a country, but it has global ambitions and they were displayed on Friday as the countdown began for opening the world’s tallest building. President Chen Shui-bian cut the ribbons at the opening ceremony for the first part of the new, 508m tower.

Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation, the world’s 12th largest bourse, said on Tuesday it aims to sign cooperation agreements with three foreign exchanges in 2003 to promote cross-border trading.

One cabin crew member and another passenger were retrieved on Sunday from the wreckage of the China Airlines (CAL) Boeing 747-200, as searchers raced to find two crucial black boxes before their signals fade.

The Taiwanese navy on Thursday launched its first locally built ”stealth” missile boat which it said would prove a valuable asset in the event of conflict with China, the navy said.