governing Taiwan 結果共15筆

Andrew Hsia, vice chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, emphasizes promoting cross-strait exchanges and dialogue to prevent misunderstandings during a meeting with Song Tao, head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO). The discussion at the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai addresses recent tensions, highlighting the KMT’s stance on the ＂1992 Consensus＂ and opposition to ＂Taiwan Independence.＂ Both parties stress the importance of restraint to maintain peace and mutual trust in cross-strait relations.

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.

Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Han Kuo-yu has been elected as the speaker of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, with Johnny Chiang as his deputy. As speaker, Han is responsible for maintaining order in the legislative body and overseeing legislative matters. According to the ＂Act Governing the Discipline of Legislators,＂ Han’s monthly salary is equivalent to that of central government department heads, amounting to NT$346,960, with an additional special remuneration of NT$79,100. Johnny Chiang, as deputy speaker, will earn a monthly salary of approximately NT$229,860. Legislators in Taiwan receive an average monthly salary of about NT$190,500, along with an annual bonus equivalent to 1.5 months’ salary. Han’s role grants him decisive power in the event of tied votes or disputes over legislation, giving him a significant role in shaping future policy.

The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) campaign office released a campaign video titled ＂Together, On the Road,＂ featuring President Tsai Ing-wen passing the reigns to presidential and vice-presidential candidates Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim. Directed by Lo Ging-zim, the video utilizes advanced virtual studio technology to depict Tsai and Lai driving through Taiwan’s streets and alleys. Symbolically, Tsai hands over the car keys to Lai, signifying the transition of power, while Hsiao Bi-khim joins them in the passenger seat, representing their shared commitment to Taiwan’s democracy and freedom. All three individuals have been members of the DPP’s administrative team during their eight years in power, holding various posts and working tirelessly for Taiwan’s advancement.

Kuomintang’s (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih criticizes the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for alleged autocracy, incompetence, and widespread corruption. He singles out DPP presidential candidate Lai Ching-te as a complicit beneficiary of the party’s corrupt structure. Hou proposes a ＂New Taiwan Political Reform Movement＂ focused on governing with peace, dignity, fairness, integrity, and diligence. He suggests that Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je could play a key role in this movement. Hou highlights the issues faced by the Taiwanese in the past eight years, such as fraud, corruption, democratic regression, and cross-strait tensions. He criticizes Lai for distancing himself from Taiwan’s independence and condemns the DPP over allegations of sexual harassment, corruption, and the new movement faction. Hou argues that the DPP’s disarray has eroded its trustworthiness among the Taiwanese. He outlines his aim of leading a clean governance team with capacity, courage, and fiscal propriety, in contrast to the DPP’s alleged autocracy. Hou asserts his capability and strength to form a coalition government, fulfilling the aspiration for an alternate ruling party.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential contender Hou Yu-ih criticizes the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP’s) past claims about the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and cross-strait communication. He questions the DPP candidate’s analogy of ＂three links＂ and direct flights to a ＂Trojan horse leading to a massacre＂ and challenges the Agriculture Minister’s role in Chinese approvals for Taiwan’s grouper fish export. Hou argues that unresolved quarantine issues could harm Taiwanese farmers and suggests direct negotiations with China. He also criticizes Lai’s ＂Taiwan independence＂ stance, claiming it lacks practical understanding of cross-strait relations. If elected, Hou promises to continue ECFA negotiations to reduce China’s tariffs on Taiwan’s industries. He believes that adhering to the Constitution and the Act Governing Relations between Taiwan and China will maintain peace between the straits.

The Ministry of Labor in Taiwan has announced significant revisions to the regulations governing work permits for foreign professionals in arts and performing arts. The new regulations, which will take effect on December 20, aim to attract more foreign artistic talent to Taiwan’s cultural scene. One major change is the acceptance of documents from important international organizations, such as the United Nations, for residents of Hong Kong and Macau who are unable to obtain official recommendation or certification documents. The framework for foreign artistic professionals’ work is divided into four main types: performance and visual arts, publishing, film and broadcasting, and popular music and crafts. The qualifications for the publishing industry have been relaxed to recognize individuals with over five years of publishing experience who demonstrate originality and special performance in their field. Similarly, the qualifications for crafts-related work have been broadened to accept assistant professors or individuals with equivalent qualifications. Prior to these revisions, the application process for foreigners undertaking artistic work in Taiwan was stringent, requiring an application through an employer or by the professionals themselves if they met the necessary qualifications. As of October 2023, Taiwan had 245 self-employed foreign artists holding valid working permits, highlighting the country’s growing reputation as a hub for international art professionals.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced that 1,345 students from six schools in Taiwan will be required to transfer to other institutions due to the act Governing the Closure of Private Educational Institutions at Senior Secondary or Higher Level. The act, passed last year, gives schools a two-year period to improve, and if they fail to meet the standards, they face orders to stop recruiting students and cease operations. Chung Chou University of Science and Technology and Taiwan Shoufu University have already closed this July, with 310 students transferred to other institutions. Mingdao University, Tatung Institute of Commerce and Technology, Tung Fang Design Institute, and TransWorld University are scheduled to close in July 2024. The MOE plans to conduct briefings on student distribution and placement a semester before the termination of these institutions to ensure a smooth transition. The affected students will be given priority to continue their studies at schools in the same or neighboring counties, and the MOE will assist affected faculty members and staff in finding new employment opportunities. Currently, there are no other private universities or colleges listed for specialized guidance by the MOE.

The Ministry of the Interior in Taiwan has announced that it will allocate NT＄10 million for the implementation of the Provisional Act Governing Religious Groups Registering Real Estate in the Name of a Natural Person. This legislation aims to address issues surrounding properties acquired by religious groups but registered under individual names. Minister Lin Yu-chang made the announcement during a visit to Bali Zihuang Tianyi Zhenqing temple, emphasizing the outreach to temples across Taiwan to communicate the details of the Act. In addition, the Ministry plans to increase government subsidies for temple activities, committing an additional NT＄15 million to support these communities, a significant increase from the previous annual subsidy of NT＄420,000. The Department of Religious and Ceremonial Affairs, established last year, will administer these initiatives, with the new budget allocations facilitated through local governments to ensure a seamless implementation and the preservation of Taiwan’s religious landscape.

The Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Mei-hua, stated that the release of the list of key national technologies will not impact businesses as they have been consulted beforehand. The focus is on enhancing the protection of critical technologies. The National Science and Technology Council revealed a list of 22 core national key technologies across defense, agriculture, semiconductors, space, and cyber-security, including two semiconductor technologies. Personnel involved with key technologies receiving over 50% subsidies from the government must seek permission before traveling to China, as per the National Security Act and the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. The two semiconductor technologies listed are IC fabrication technology for processes smaller than 14 nanometers and heterogeneous integration packaging technology. Wang emphasized the importance of protecting key technologies to prevent confidential business information leakage and enhance national security standards. The next steps involve reviewing and providing lists of personnel meeting certain subsidy thresholds and involved with sensitive technologies to relevant entities for management purposes.

The latest poll by Formosa Magazine reveals that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is leading the 2024 Taiwan presidential race, with the Kuomintang (KMT) trailing with approximately 30% support, and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) at the bottom. Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim, the DPP presidential candidates, have an approval rating of 36.3%, while the KMT contenders, Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-Kong, hold a 31.0% approval rating. Ko Wen-je and Cynthia Wu of the TPP secured an 18% support rate. In terms of party support, 32.4% of respondents favored the DPP to continue governing, 28.9% supported the KMT taking the reins, and 14.8% backed the TPP to lead. When asked about an alternation of ruling parties, 37.8% favored voting for the opposition party with the highest polls, while 51.4% disagreed. The poll also examined negative sentiments towards the candidates, with 33.3% least wanting to see Lai Ching-te become president, followed by Ko Wen-je at 23.8% and Hou Yu-ih at 16.4%. Among committed supporters, 20.5% declared unwavering support for the Lai-Hsiao ticket, while Hou and Jaw received 20.0%, and Ko and Wu had 9.1%. However, 41.9% of voters did not pledge strong allegiance to any candidate. The poll, conducted from Nov. 24 to Nov. 28, 2023, used the Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) method and successfully interviewed 1,476 people with a 95% confidence level.

Taiwan experiences a surge in travel as global restrictions ease, leading to a phenomenon known as ＂vacation vengeance.＂ The Ministry of Finance reports that approximately 8.42 million passengers traveled in the first nine months of 2023. However, strict tax exemption regulations have caused public frustration as returning residents face customs inspections for exceeding the purchase limit. The current tax exemption limit is NTD$20,000, but citizens argue it is insufficient. The Ministry of Finance is considering raising the limit to NTD$30,000 to NTD$40,000. The regulations governing duty-free privileges for inbound personal luggage have remained unchanged for over three decades. The Ministry of Finance is discussing potential changes to address the rising cost of overseas goods and the country’s gross national income compared to Japan and South Korea.

Kaohsiung’s Department of Health, has announced that Ultra Source, the company responsible for importing Brazilian eggs with false expiration dates, will face fines ranging from NT＄40,000 to NT＄４ million under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

The amendments to the ＂Act Governing the Punishment of Violation of Road Traffic Regulations＂ adopted in April by the Legislative Yuan took effect on Friday, imposing stricter penalties on drivers.

Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss emphasized her backing for Taiwan on Wednesday (May 17), asserting that the self-governing island stands at the forefront of the global struggle for freedom.