Legislators quiz nominee Huang
Legislators quiz nominee HuangBy Sean Lin / Staff reporterFormer minister of education Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村) yesterday told lawmakers that he would support any effort to move the nation toward a sounder constitutional system, including abolishing the Examination Yuan, if he were to be confirmed as its head. Huang, who was nominated by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to be Examination Yuan president, made the remark as the Legislative Yuan in Taipei reviewed his nomination. Former minister of education Huang Jong-tsun, who has been nominated to be president of the Examination Yuan, answers lawmakers’ questions at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. If civil servants are familiar with the nation’s history, it would significantly benefit their jobs and the nation’s development, he said. Taiwanese history could also be included as part of the training program for newly hired civil servants before they are assigned their first jobs, he added.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2020 15:56 UTC
Safety always comes first for Dome complex: Ko
Safety always comes first for Dome complex: KoNEWS CONFERENCE: Several safety improvements have been made to the design, the most important of which was reducing crowd capacity, Ko Wen-je saidBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe Taipei City Government would make sure the Taipei Dome is as safe as it can be, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) promised yesterday as he announced that the capacity of the Dome complex would be capped at 59,833 people for the first three years of its operation. Ko held a news conference yesterday morning to outline the public safety standards and performance reviews for the Dome project ahead of the city issuing a new construction permit for the project next week. The Taipei City Construction Management Office approved Farglory Group’s new construction permit proposal on June 22, signaling that work might resume on the project after a five-year suspension. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je answers reporters’ questions yesterday at a news conference about the Taipei Dome project. It also announced seven public safety standards for the project that same year.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2020 15:56 UTC
TPP and NPP lawmakers urge abolition of Control Yuan and Examination Yuan
TPP and NPP lawmakers urge abolition of Control Yuan and Examination YuanBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterThe Control Yuan and Examination Yuan should be abolished as their seats are filled with “fat-cat patronage appointments” for well-paying and cushy jobs, while some members have accepted teaching positions in China, raising national security concerns, Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and New Power Party (NPP) lawmakers said yesterday. Taiwan People’s Party lawmakers yesterday hold banners in the main chamber of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei calling for abolition of the Control Yuan and Examination Yuan. The TPP held a brief protest inside and outside the main legislative chamber, during which TPP caucus whip Lai Hsiang-ling (賴香伶) raised the issue of some Examination Yuan members accepting outside work, including lecturing posts in China. “Some Examination Yuan members have accepted visiting professor or guest lecturer posts at universities in China. “The questionnaire is not so tough... Our society has many impoverished people, but Examination Yuan members enjoy very high salaries and good perks, all paid for by the taxpayers.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2020 15:56 UTC
FSC eases identity control rules for online insurance
FSC eases identity control rules for online insuranceBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) has eased the rules on consumer identity authentication for the online insurance business, enabling insurers to cooperate with non-insurance firms to speed up authentication. Under the previous rules, customers of non-insurance companies needed to pass the firms’ identity authentication protocols when logging on to their platforms or apps, and then had to pass insurers’ identity authentication protoclos to buy products, Shih said. The relaxed rules require people to pass only one identification control, which would save time and could boost their willingness to buy insurance policies, Shih added. Nan Shan Life Insurance Co (南山人壽) plans to partner with Gogoro to launch new usage-based insurance products, while other insurers would work with Chunghwa Post and H2 to market fire and earthquake insurance products, and health insurance for people with diabetes respectively, she added. If insurance firms want to cooperate with non-insurance firms on consumer identity authentication, they need to apply to the commission, as the authentication mechanism must be reliable, she added.
Source:Taipei Times
July 08, 2020 15:56 UTC
Government unwilling to vouch for own rules
Government unwilling to vouch for own rulesForeign ARC/APRC holders are still asking why they won’t be getting stimulus vouchersBy Steven Crook / Contributing reporterTobie Openshaw is confident that Taiwan’s government has good reasons for not including him in the Triple Stimulus Voucher Program, which launched at the beginning of this month. “Surely we deserve a small thank you, just like Taiwan citizens. Premier Su Tseng-chang holds up two mock copies of the Triple Stimulus Vouchers, which come in denominations of NT$200 and NT$500. Whether it’s shared by the officials who crafted the Triple Stimulus Voucher Program is hard to say, because they’ve shown little willingness to discuss their reasoning. “There’s no logical reason not to include an entire subset of taxpayers if the goal is a broad economic stimulus.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 16:00 UTC
University seeks to encourage Chinese medicine for animals
University seeks to encourage Chinese medicine for animalsBy Wu Po-hsuan and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerNational Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) has established a team of cross-disciplinary academics to promote incorporating Chinese herbal medicine into pet food, as many ingredients have been proven to benefit the health of animals. Research has shown that diets involving certain medicinal herbs benefit animals’ health, Lee said, adding that using these herbs as health supplements can reduce the animals’ chances of developing illnesses at a later age, saving their owners the cost of treatment using Western medicine. Veterinarian Huang Mei-jung (黃美蓉), an executive officer at a pet food company, said that all Chinese herbal medicine would be tested on animals before being introduced to the market. This means that Chinese medicinal herbs that enter the market are safe for animals to consume, if given in proper amounts, Huang added. A woman surnamed Chen (陳), who owns a nine-year-old dachshund, said that feeding her dog snacks made of Chinese medicinal herbs for one month greatly enhanced the animal’s physical strength and energy levels.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Tsai warns China against overreaching
Tsai warns China against overreachingHONG KONG SECURITY: The president blasted regulations requiring Taiwanese agents or political organizations to provide information on their Hong Kong-related activitiesBy Chung Li-hua, Lin Ching-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerPresident Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday warned of countermeasures should controversial Chinese national security legislation imposed on Hong Kong undermine or harm Taiwanese interests. “If necessary, we will issue warnings and guidance to Taiwanese groups and people [in Hong Kong],” Tsai said. “Beijing and the Hong Kong government should not trample on human rights and commit jurisdictional overreach to harm the rights of Taiwanese groups and organizations in Hong Kong,” the MAC said. It called on the Hong Kong government to clarify how it would protect Taiwanese interest and rights, as well as the safety and freedom of Taiwanese in Hong Kong. Taiwan is not under the jurisdiction of China or Hong Kong, the DPP said, adding that the Taiwanese government would never comply with acts that would oppress human rights.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Ministry lauds Canada’s UBC for ‘Taiwan’ reference
Ministry lauds Canada’s UBC for ‘Taiwan’ referenceBy Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter, with ReutersThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday commended the University of British Columbia (UBC) for “resuming its academic autonomy,” after the school said it would refer to the nation as “Taiwan,” instead of as “Taiwan (Province of China)” as it had done in an annual report. In the report’s 2018-2019 edition, the school had referred to the nation as “Taiwan” without any parenthesized note. “Moving forward, UBC will only refer to Taiwan without any additional descriptors in future reports,” Heinrich said. The ministry is glad to see the university resume its academic neutrality and autonomy, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news briefing in Taipei. The ministry lauded the university for understanding the essence of the problem and its willingness to correct the inappropriate appellation, she added.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Examination nominee critic criticized
Examination nominee critic criticized‘TOO ARBITRARY’: Legislator Fan Yun said that Examination Yuan nominee Ho Yi-cheng’s articles are listed in databases with strict standards for the articles they acceptBy Chen Yun and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerAn academic yesterday drew criticism from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) after saying that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) nominees for a Examination Yuan president and member are unfit for the positions. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Fan Yun takes part in a public hearing on Control Yuan nominees at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Huang’s resume shows his leadership qualities, such as his considerable effort on behalf of the human rights movement during the nation’s Martial Law era, but that experience is more relevant for the Control Yuan than the Examination Yuan, he said. Kuei also raised doubts over the nomination of Ho Yi-cheng (何怡澄), head of National Chengchi University’s public finance department, to be an Examination Yuan member. However, the post of Control Yuan president would probably be a much better match for his experience, Kuei said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
DGBAS shrugs off deflation concerns as CPI falls 0.76%
DGBAS shrugs off deflation concerns as CPI falls 0.76%By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterThe consumer price index (CPI) last month contracted 0.76 percent from a year earlier, as the COVID-19 pandemic reduced transportation, recreation and food costs, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said yesterday. Photo: Clare Cheng, Taipei TimesThe index gained 0.79 percent from a month earlier and picked up 0.39 percent after seasonal adjustments, Chiou added. Core CPI, a more reliable long-term tracker of consumer price movements because it excludes volatile items, rose 0.13 percent. The wholesale price index (WPI), a measure of production costs, dropped 10.36 percent, easing from a revised 12.15 percent decline a month earlier, the DGBAS said. For the first six months of the year, the CPI edged down 0.22 percent and the WPI fell 8.2 percent, it said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Task force mulling name, changes for passport, CAL
Task force mulling name, changes for passport, CALBy Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerAn Executive Yuan task force is reviewing templates for name and logo changes for the nation’s passport and China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空), following calls to remove the word “China” after several countries refused medical donations from Taiwan after mistaking it for China. A CAL plane delivering medical supplies to Luxembourg on April 9 was mistaken for the Chinese carrier Air China Ltd (中國國際航空). The Executive Yuan is awaiting the finalized versions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Cabinet spokesman Ting Yi-ming (丁怡銘) said. Photo: Cheng Wei-chi, Taipei TimesPremier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) would review all versions and reach a decision before forwarding it to the Legislative Yuan, a source in the Executive Yuan said. As for the passport cover — which Taiwanese travelers have said has led them to be misidentified as Chinese — the DPP said the MOTC should look into measures that would help identify the passport holder as “Taiwanese.”
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Travel restrictions biggest hindrance: German firms
Travel restrictions biggest hindrance: German firmsRIGHT BALANCE: Taiwan and the EU should ‘reach a compromise on mutually lifting their travel restrictions’ imposed due to the global pandemic, Axel Limberg saidStaff writer, with CNAAn overwhelming majority of German companies operating in the nation consider travel restrictions between Taiwan and the EU harmful to their businesses, a survey by the global network of the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad found. Among the surveys of the chambers’ 140 locations in 92 nations from June 15 to 26, the one in Taiwan found that 90.5 percent of respondents cited travel restrictions as the biggest burden on their operations, the German Trade Office Taipei said on Monday. Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times“It was with great regret that we have learned about the decision of the European Union not to add Taiwan to the list of safe travel destinations,” German Trade Office Taipei Executive Director Axel Limberg said. China provisionally made the list, but only on condition that Beijing reciprocally grant EU visitors the same right of entry. The trade office is lobbying the German government to include Taiwan on the list to facilitate bilateral business efforts, Limberg said, adding that lifting travel restrictions is essential for business development.
Source:Taipei Times
July 07, 2020 15:56 UTC
Ama Museum to close on Nov. 10
Ama Museum to close on Nov. 10By Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterThe Ama Museum in Taipei, dedicated to Taiwan’s “comfort women,” is to close on Nov. 10 for financial reasons, the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation said yesterday. The museum became a platform for international exchanges on human rights and gender equality, and drew more than 125,000 visitors, the foundation said. Opening-day visitors look at photographs at the Ama Museum in Taipei on Dec. 10, 2016. Despite government support, shop revenue and donations, the museum lost between NT$4 million and NT$5 million (US$135,359 and US$169,199) annually over the past three years, it said. The foundation sold its office last year to make up for the losses.
Source:Taipei Times
July 06, 2020 15:56 UTC
Protection center to file Tatung suit
Protection center to file Tatung suitBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterThe Securities and Futures Investors Protection Center would file a lawsuit for an order to dismiss Tatung Co (大同) chairwoman Lin Kuo Wen-yen (林郭文艷), as the firm has severely breached shareholders’ rights, agency chairman Chiou Chin-ting (邱欽庭) said yesterday. The center filed the suit as Lin Kuo severely breached shareholders’ rights and disrupted market order by revoking the voting rights of 27 shareholders who own a combined 53 percent stake in Tatung, Chiou said. “What Lin Kuo did was wrong and hence we do not think it was a fair election,” Chiou said. Chiou rejected Tatung’s attorney Lai Chung-chiang’s (賴中強) remark that disputes regarding voting rights are part of a firm’s self-governance. “That statement clearly indicates that Tatung knew it had no right to cancel the voting rights of its shareholders, so it needed to apply for an injunction,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 06, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taichung MRT to launch this year, Mayor Lu says
Taichung MRT to launch this year, Mayor Lu says‘WE ARE CONFIDENT’: The city is planning a ceremony to celebrate the launch, and would invite former officials who helped oversee the project, Mayor Lu Shiow-yen saidBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe Taichung City Government would apply for a preliminary inspection next month of the Tai-chung MRT Green Line, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said yesterday, adding that the line would become operational by the end of this year. Taichung city councilors take a test ride on the city’s Mass Rapid Transit system’s Green Line yesterday. Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), who was Taichung mayor from 2014 to 2018, oversaw the project as well, Lu said. Ticket prices for the Taichung MRT Line would start at NT$20, with an extra NT$5 to be added for every 2km traveled, she said. The Taichung Transportation Bureau is also preparing for the launch of the MRT service, Yeh said.
Source:Taipei Times
July 06, 2020 15:56 UTC