Philippine workers in Taiwan yesterday launched a petition that called on their government to respond immediately to Taiwan's demands over the shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman at sea.

The skipper of the Taiwanese fishing boat that was attacked by Philippine coast guards yesterday denied Manila's claim that his vessel “provoked” the shooting.

The Taipei City Government said Saturday it has excluded the Philippines from an upcoming dragon boat competition and has decided to suspend all city-to-city exchanges with the neighboring country after a Philippine government vessel opened fire on an unarmed Taiwanese fishing boat Thursday, killing a fisherman onboard.

The Taipei office of the Korea Tourism Organization has awarded 700,000 Korean won (NT$18,800) in cash to the first winner of an online lucky draw.

Taiwan will continue to negotiate with Japan on issues such as establishing a buffer zone near an area in the East China Sea covered by a bilateral fishing pact and setting up fishing regulations for the area, an official said yesterday.

The first meeting of a Taiwan-Japan fishing commission opened yesterday in Taipei to address issues related to fishing in disputed waters in the East China Sea.

Taiwan signed an agreement with an American university yesterday to cooperate on research into counter-terrorism and other security issues, the National Immigration Agency (NIA, 移民署) said that day.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has warned people planning to travel to the United Kingdom to be on the alert in the face of a measles outbreak there.

Taiwan has become Asia's fifth country to take part in a global project that aims to end violence against women and girls and to enhance women's standard of living, the organizers said yesterday.

Taiwan and Japan will continue their talks on issues that are not addressed in a recently signed fishery agreement, which include fishing rights in waters near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands, the nation's top envoy to Tokyo said yesterday.