legislation 結果共36筆

U.S. President Joe Biden has signed the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (FY2024 NDAA), which includes a comprehensive training program for Taiwan’s military. The program aims to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and will be overseen by the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The legislation, which has received approval from both houses of the U.S. Congress, allocates a total of US＄886 billion for this purpose. The training program will focus on layered defense, asymmetric defense strategies, cross-communication between the U.S. and Taiwan’s military, information sharing, and the improvement of professional military education and civilian control over the military. Additionally, the act emphasizes collaboration between the U.S. and Taiwan on military cyber security and requires regular updates on Taiwan arm sales proceedings. It also mandates the Secretary of Defense to submit biannual reports to Congress on the military developments of the People’s Republic of China, particularly in areas such as Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the South China Sea, covering topics such as weapon upgrades, procurement, and military operations.

Kuomintang’s vice presidential candidate, Jaw Shaw-kong, proposes that AI should be considered Taiwan’s next ＂guardian mountain god＂ in a bid to position Taiwan as a leader in artificial intelligence. He advocates for the creation of an ＂AI Minister＂ position within various ministries, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Executive Yuan. Jaw questions the government’s plans for AI legislation and calls for a foundational AI law to address future challenges. He highlights the rapid advancements in AI technology and their ethical implications, praising the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company for its contributions. Jaw emphasizes the importance of supporting academic research and corporate AI initiatives, arguing that integrating AI technologies could enhance military efficiency, a crucial consideration given Taiwan’s limited armed forces personnel.

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan has passed amendments to the Sports Industry Development Act to combat ticket scalping. The revised law imposes fines on scalpers ranging from 10 to 50 times the ticket’s face value. The amendments also target the resale of complimentary and promotional tickets, with penalties reaching up to NT＄18,000. The use of ticket-buying bots will be met with up to three years’ imprisonment and/or fines up to NT＄3 million. These measures aim to crack down on the practice of reselling tickets at inflated prices, known locally as ＂huangniu＂ or Yellow Cow. The amended law ensures the anonymity of whistleblowers and potentially rewards them for reporting scalping activities. The updates to the legislation were led by the Legislative Yuan Education and Culture Committee, reflecting the legislature’s commitment to fair access to entertainment and sports for fans in Taiwan.

The Legislative Yuan has passed the Minimum Wage Bill in Taiwan, which requires employers to meet minimum wage standards when settling wages with employees. Noncompliance with this law could result in fines of up to NT＄1.5 million and public disclosure of the offender’s name. The new legislation mandates the inclusion of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as one of the key references when determining minimum wage, linking wage adjustments more closely with the cost of living. Previously, adjustments to the basic wage were governed by lesser regulations - the Deliberation Regulations for Basic Wage, which are merely administrative orders and do not guarantee annual wage increases. Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun welcomed the passage of this legislation, expressing gratitude to labor and employer groups, scholar experts, and legislators from all parties for their support. President Tsai Ing-wen had initially proposed the elevation of the Minimum Wage from an administrative order to the force of law in her 2016 policy plan, but it took seven years for the draft to make its way through the legislative process.

The Minister of Labor, Hsu Ming-chun, expressed hope that the draft for the national minimum wage bill will soon pass its final hurdle. The Legislative Yuan is set to vote on the bill tomorrow, after failing to reach a consensus on Friday due to issues concerning the review committee’s composition, deliberation indicators, research groups, and the exclusion of law-violating companies from government procurement. Hsu emphasized the importance of a minimum wage law, which aims to elevate the legal status of the minimum wage, enhance the review mechanism, and clarify the indicators for deliberations. Hsu called for joint efforts to pass the legislation by tomorrow, as there is broad agreement on the need for a minimum wage law after years of discussion.

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 U.S. House Armed Services Committee has agreed to include provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24 NDAA) to assist in the training of Taiwan’s armed forces. The bill, with a budget of ＵＳUS＄876.8 billion, requires the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive training and advisory program for Taiwan’s military. The program will only proceed with the consent of the Secretary of State and after consultations with Taiwanese officials. The legislation aims to enhance Taiwan’s multilayered defense capabilities, including asymmetric defense strategies and interoperability with U.S. forces. It also promotes cybersecurity cooperation and the protection of military networks. The NDAA mandates biannual reporting on China’s military developments in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the South China Sea. Additionally, a classified report will evaluate the absorption of U.S.-provided military capabilities by Taiwan’s armed forces. After approval by Congress, President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, strengthening U.S.-Taiwan defense relations.

The Legislative Yuan’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee reviewed proposed amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act, including one that would allow a surviving spouse to use embryos for having children after the death of their partner. The Ministry of Health and Welfare is considering expanding the legislation to include same-sex couples, single individuals, and surrogate pregnancies. Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan suggested a public hearing to gather feedback due to the ethical, legal, and child welfare considerations involved. The current law only permits assisted reproduction for married couples, excluding single women and lesbian couples. Taiwan also does not currently recognize surrogacy as legal, creating unresolved issues regarding the parental status of children born through such arrangements. The debate reflects the government’s attempt to address societal changes and demographic challenges, particularly concerns about population decline.

Presidential candidate Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) has proposed several cultural initiatives to strengthen the rights of various ethnic groups in Taiwan. He emphasized that Taiwan’s composition is primarily a result of self-identification among different groups, with 67% identifying as Fujianese, 19% as Hakka, 5% from various Chinese provinces, 2% indigenous Taiwanese, and 8% as ＂new residents＂ including migrant workers, professionals, new immigrants, second-generation immigrants, and foreign university students. Ko advocated for Taiwan to become a melting pot for diverse ethnic groups and proposed a law against ethnic discrimination. Specifically addressing the Hakka community, he unveiled proposals to preserve Hakka culture and position Taiwan as a global hub for Hakka society. Ko also presented policies to support Taiwan’s indigenous populations, including granting more rights and establishing tribal self-governance councils.

Taiwan considers lifting the surrogate motherhood ban as the Health Ministry drafts an amendment. Get the latest updates on the potential change in legislation.

Delivery workers in Taiwan are protesting against significant wage cuts by popular food delivery platforms foodpanda and Uber Eats. The number of delivery personnel has increased from 40,000 in 2019 to over 140,000 currently, leading to a decrease in earnings from NT ＄70 per order to below NT＄40. The Chairman of the National Delivery Industrial Union has called for dedicated legislation to protect the workers’ rights and wage standards.