TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan's premier is pushing for tougher measures to crack down on pirating of CDs, including a 10 million New Taiwan dollar (US$287,520) award for tips leading to arrests. 

The island's unsuccessful battle against factories churning out illegal copies of CDs and DVDs has been a constant sore point in relations with its most important friend, the United States Premier Yu Shyi-kun, the island's No. 3 ranking leader, acknowledged in a statement issued late Monday that "CD pirates have become an obstacle to Taiwan's foreign relations.''