Taiwanese administration 結果共27筆

Taiwanese citizens gather for the 16th presidential inauguration, voicing concerns and expectations on environmental issues, economic disparities, and social reforms, while calling for unity and effective governance.

Discover the latest reshuffle in Taiwan’s administration as Lin Fei-fan, a key figure in the Sunflower Student Movement, is appointed deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council ahead of President-elect Lai Ching-te’s inauguration. This move, part of a broader administrative change, signals a blend of continuity and new directions for Taiwan’s future.

Explore the latest on former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian’s confidence in the people’s support for the government, amid speculation of a pardon before Tsai Ing-wen’s term ends. Learn about the challenges facing the new administration with a divided legislature.

In a legislative session, Taiwanese lawmaker Chen Yu-jen questions China’s dredging vessels passing through restricted waters off Kinmen. Premier Chen Chien-jen and Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling deny this possibility. Tensions escalate in the Kinmen-Xiamen waters following a recent incident involving a capsized Chinese fishing boat.

The Taiwan Affairs Office urges Taiwan to reveal the truth behind a capsized Chinese fishing boat incident, demanding severe punishment for those involved. The boat breached Taiwan’s maritime boundaries, resulting in a pursuit by Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration. Beijing accused Taiwan of using ＂brutal＂ force, leading to the deaths of two on board. The TAO called for Taiwan to promptly publish the truth, reprimand personnel, and explain to the victims’ families and citizens on both sides of the Strait. Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council Chairman stated there is no intention to conceal any aspect of the incident and emphasized that third-party liability insurance has covered the incident.

Taipei-based WinnER International Travel Co. has ceased services for a Taiwanese tourist group visiting Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam during the Lunar New Year. The company has retained the group’s deposit and continued to charge fees, citing a violation of contract rules by Mega International Travel Service, which had not made the agreed payment. WinnER International signed a contract with Mega International on September 12, 2023, and received a deposit of NT＄700,000 on January 18, 2024. The dispute arose when the two sides could not agree on the service price, leading to WinnER International sending a notice to stop providing service on January 31, which went unanswered. As a result, WinnER International asked each passenger to pay an additional US＄720 to continue the journey. The Kien Giang Provincial Tourism Administration has deemed WinnER International’s actions a violation of regulations and will penalize the company for not adhering to travel contract regulations.

A recent fishing boat incident involving a Chinese fishing boat illegally crossing boundaries and subsequently capsizing due to the Taiwanese coast guard’s expulsion efforts has caused tension between Taiwan and China. Two individuals tragically drowned in the incident. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has assured prompt communication of investigation results with Chinese authorities, aiming to maintain solid cross-strait ties. China has accused Taiwan of precipitating such events, blaming aggressive boat seizures and assertive treatment of mainland fishermen. The Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) has strongly condemned the incident, laying blame on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration. Former Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin has criticized Taiwan’s law enforcement, suggesting it may constitute involuntary manslaughter. In 2023 alone, there were 1,191 registered cases of Chinese fishing boats crossing the maritime boundary, consistently surpassing a thousand annually. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, in accordance with the ＂Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area,＂ retains the right to expel, detain, hold in custody, fine, confiscate fishing equipment, and seize hauls and boats.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has abruptly halted the solicitation of tours to China, reversing its previous policy. Originally scheduled to open on March 1, tours from Taiwan to China were limited to a daily reference cap of 2,000 people, with the possibility of adjustments based on the travel industry’s ability to attract customers. The decision to halt the tours immediately was made in response to China’s failure to organize tours to Taiwan and its unilateral change of the M503 flight route without goodwill, which poses a threat to flight safety. The Tourism Administration, a part of the MOTC, believes that given the current circumstances, it is not in the best interest of Taiwanese nationals to travel to China. They continue to appeal to China to demonstrate goodwill and promote cross-strait tourism exchange. Tours that have already been solicited and are due to depart between March 1 and May 31, 2024, will proceed as planned to protect passenger rights, but tours after June 1 are not permitted to depart. Travel companies are urged to refrain from soliciting customers to avoid potential disputes.

The 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival is returning to Tainan for the first time since 2008, taking place from Feb. 24 to March 10. The main lantern, ＂Dragon Comes to Taiwan,＂ was unveiled by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Administration. Inspired by the dragons on the stone columns at the Tainan Grand Mazu Temple, the 18-meter-tall dragon lantern is accompanied by a 22-meter main lantern. This year’s lantern design transforms the dragon into a small round lantern with the same pronunciation as the Taiwanese snack ＂xiaolongbao,＂ adding a touch of tradition and children’s anticipation. The festival will illuminate the ＂High-Speed Rail Lantern Area＂ and ＂Anping Lantern Area＂ in Tainan. In celebration of Tainan’s 400th anniversary, the city government will light up the ＂Anping Lantern Area＂ in advance on Feb. 3, allowing residents and tourists to enjoy the spectacle during the Lunar New Year holiday. Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che expressed high hopes for the festival, praising the main lantern design for its unique representation of Tainan and Taiwan’s lantern festival through a blend of culture, nostalgia, and playful creativity.

President Tsai Ing-wen highlights Taiwan’s growing global relevance and indispensability, as she reflects on the substantial changes during her seven-year presidency. Taiwan’s GDP has risen from NT＄17.5 trillion to an impressive NT＄23 trillion under her administration, thanks to initiatives aimed at investment and infrastructure development. Advanced semiconductor chip production has thrived, contributing to Taiwan’s economic stability and rapid advancement, surpassing the progress of the Four Asian Tigers. Tsai attributes this success to the unity and resilience of the Taiwanese people. She hopes that her administration’s efforts will have a lasting impact, sustaining Taiwan’s forward momentum for future leaders.

Chinese authorities are allegedly pressuring Taiwanese rock band Mayday to make pro-China statements ahead of Taiwan’s major election in January 2024, according to foreign media reports. China’s National Radio and Television Administration has reportedly asked Mayday to endorse Beijing’s claim that ＂Taiwan is part of China＂ and align with China’s media propaganda on Taiwan. The aim is believed to be influencing the votes of young people in Taiwan. Mayday’s management company, B’in Music, has not responded to inquiries, and higher authorities from the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council have also not commented on the matter.

Taiwan’s health ministry has announced the establishment of the Center for Health Policy and Technology Assessment (CHPTA) with an investment of nearly NT＄200 million from the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA). The CHPTA aims to expedite the review process for newly insured drugs by implementing parallel reviews. Starting from New Year’s Day in 2024, the new system is expected to significantly shorten the time required for reviewing newly insured drugs from an average of 13 months to 6 months. Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan emphasized that national health insurance plays a stabilizing role in Taiwanese society and disapproved of major amendments, ruling out the possibility of a ＂third generation health insurance.＂ He also expressed the belief that drug pricing policies under the health insurance system need reform, making the launch of CHPTA a significant reform effort.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokesperson, Zhu Fenglian, announced that the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China will resume imports of Taiwan groupers from certified and registered fish farms. This comes after China halted imports of the fish on June 13, 2022, due to the detection of banned substances. Zhu praised the Taiwanese grouper industry for taking effective measures to improve the safety of groupers during this period. She specifically highlighted the guidance provided by Su Ching-chuan, the policy committee vice chair of the Kuomintang (KMT), and Huang Yi-cheng, head of the Taiwan Cross-Strait Agricultural and Fishery Exchange Development Investment Association. The TAO emphasized that as long as Taiwan adheres to the 1992 Consensus and opposes independence, mainland China and Taiwan will be considered one family.

Former President Ma Ying-jeou criticizes DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te’s opposition to the cross-strait services trade agreement, calling it ＂a screw loose＂ and accusing the DPP of questioning the policy’s benefits. Ma also highlights the DPP administration’s governance failures, including shortages of vaccines and rapid test kits during the pandemic. He emphasizes the stability of cross-strait relations under the ＂1992 Consensus＂ during his presidency, contrasting it with the increased military incursions under the DPP’s approach. Ma argues that opening up service trade with China would benefit Taiwanese professionals but has been hindered by the DPP’s interference.

Discover America Committee in Taiwan President Brenda Tang revealed that the U.S. travel market from Taiwan has rebounded to 84% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Tourism Administration. Taiwanese travelers heading to the United States surged by 185% from January to October this year, reaching 396,913, as reported by the National Travel and Tourism Office. Flights to the U.S. during the peak summer season had load factors of over 90%, while the off-peak months of September and October maintained load factors of at least 85%. China Airlines and EVA Airways have nearly returned to pre-pandemic flight levels, and Starlux Airlines is set to launch its San Francisco route. United Airlines plans to double its Taipei to San Francisco flights, and Delta Air Lines is preparing to commence a Taipei to Seattle route. Tour package prices to the U.S. for the first quarter of next year and the Lunar New Year peak season are expected to increase by no more than 25%, offering travelers some price assurance amid growing demand.

The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Management Office has announced a comprehensive smoking ban and the elimination of designated smoking areas in order to maintain the integrity of the park’s recreational environment. This decision comes after Taiwanese entertainer Tai Chih-yuan criticized the memorial’s park administration for cutting down trees to establish a smoking zone, which he deemed harmful to the environment. However, the office clarified that the smoking area was established in 2009 and had no connection to the removal of the trees, which were infested with brown root rot disease. The decision to cut down the trees was made to ensure public safety and prevent the spread of the disease to other trees in the area, according to a statement from the office. Once the condition of the trees was confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry Research Institute, the office promptly provided public notice and carried out necessary operations.

In an interview, Yao Li-ming, the campaign chief for the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te, stated that if Lai were to win the presidency, the likelihood of a military attack from mainland China is low and the probability of cross-strait warfare is at its lowest. Yao analyzed that China may employ specific strategies in the last two weeks of the election to make Taiwanese voters perceive choosing Lai as ＂very dangerous,＂ but the DPP has prepared for such scenarios. Yao drew an analogy, stating that if a bully knows that a person will resist to the death, they might not attack at all. Yao also noted that mainland China’s leader Xi Jinping did not mention a timetable for an attack on Taiwan during the recent Xi-Biden meeting, suggesting that Beijing would not rashly initiate conflict. The DPP is willing to interact with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) but cannot accept the preconditions of the ＂One China＂ principle set by Beijing. A re-elected DPP administration would send a clear message to China, emphasizing that any resolution to the Taiwan issue must involve the DPP. Yao also contended that a successive DPP administration would reflect the support of Taiwan’s younger generation and mainstream public opinion, revealing to Beijing the necessity of recognizing the DPP’s status. Regarding mainland China’s interference in the elections, Yao disclosed that the DPP is ready to confront any unusual situations that may arise, but specific suspicions cannot be made public at this time.

Taiwan’s Tourism Administration has requested a hotel near Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County to adjust its reservation system. The hotel’s online reservation system was found to be in Simplified Chinese and listed the hotel’s address as ＂China Taiwan＂ instead of Taiwan. The Tourism Administration has instructed the hotel to ban the use of ＂China＂ and provide a Traditional Chinese interface. The hotel management clarified that it is 100% Taiwanese invested and partnered with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to attract more tourists. The appearance of ＂China Taiwan＂ on the reservation system was due to linkages with the Wyndham booking site, which is overseen by China for the Asia Pacific region. The Nantou County Government Tourism Bureau has jurisdiction over the hotel, which began trial operations in August and is set to officially open in January next year.

The Taiwanese government plans to allocate at least NT＄20 billion next year to raise the salaries of healthcare workers in response to recent protests by medical professionals. Premier Chen Chien-jen advocates for increased respect, appreciation, and compensation for frontline staff, stating that a health insurance system should not be built on the ＂sweat and tears＂ of healthcare professionals. Discussions are underway with President Tsai Ing-wen, National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Shih Chung-liang, and Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan on methods to enhance salaries through health insurance and public budget funds. The financial assistance will be directed at healthcare personnel excluding doctors, with specific details of the plan still under discussion. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has highlighted the global shortage of healthcare workers as a significant concern, and with COVID-19 still a threat, the government aims to increase healthcare investment and address the welfare of those on the medical frontline.

Taiwanese chicken producers are pushing for stricter labeling regulations for chicken and egg products, similar to those in place for pork and beef. The proposals include labeling the origins of these products in dining establishments. Chen Yu-che, Chairman of the Taichung City Poultry Association, has been advocating for thorough labeling since 2019, particularly for imported chicken. Following the COVID-19 lockdown lift in 2023, there has been a significant increase in imported chicken, reaching 230,000 tons per month, about half the volume of domestic chicken. The government’s importation of large quantities of eggs this year has led to quality issues, prompting industry representatives to call for a review of border management methods and increased inspection rates for imported chicken. Chen emphasizes the importance of clearly stating the origin of imported chicken, disclosing slaughter dates for chicken in the consumer market, and specifying the type of meat used on menus at dining establishments.

The Taiwanese government plans to allocate at least NT$20 billion in 2024 to subsidize healthcare workers’ salaries, according to Premier Chen Chien-jen. The aim is to ensure that the health insurance system is not built on the sweat and tears of medical staff. Chen emphasized the need for healthcare workers to be respected, appreciated, and adequately compensated within the healthcare system. President Tsai Ing-wen, Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan, and National Health Insurance Administration Director Shi Chong-liang have held discussions on enhancing medical personnel’s salaries through health insurance and public budget. The proposed funds will be budgeted from public expenditures, although the details are still being planned. The budget for fiscal year 2024 has been submitted to the Legislative Yuan, and if approved, the new subsidies will officially roll out the following year. The specific manner and target of the subsidies are still being formulated.

President Tsai Ing-wen attributes the DPP’s rule in Taiwan since 2016 to the support of the Taiwanese people. She emphasizes the robust democratic elections and system of checks and balances in Taiwan. Tsai states that the DPP and presidential candidate Lai Ching-te are the right choice for Taiwan. Under the DPP’s administration, Taiwan’s national power has enhanced, with GDP growth from NT＄17.5 trillion in 2016 to a potential NT＄23 trillion in 2023. President Tsai encourages Taiwanese to be proud of their achievements.

The Travel Agents Association Chairman, Hsiao Po-jen, has announced that the Taiwanese government may lift travel group bans to China before Chinese New Year in 2024. Minister Wang Kwo-tsai of Transportation and Communications and Mainland Affairs Council revealed that the MOTC Tourist Administration Director General, Chou Yung-Hui, confirmed plans to lift restrictions on Taiwanese travel groups just before the holiday next year. The ban on private arrangement of group tours to China has been in place since the Covid-19 pandemic, making this decision a significant move to enhance diplomatic relations between the two states. The MAC has also announced plans to restore cross-strait group tours, initially allowing 2,000 visitors per day from China. The lift on travel restrictions may come earlier than expected if China expresses goodwill to welcome tourists from across the Strait.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’ visit to Taiwan in May for a speaking engagement has ignited controversy, with the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party criticizing President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration for using Taiwanese taxpayers’ money for domestic propaganda.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has dismissed national safety concerns raised by some Taiwanese citizens regarding the flight path of China Eastern Airlines.