Following conflict and then compromise, the Cabinet finally sent the Cabinet Organizational Act (
Over the past three decades, numerous attempts to amend the act were stillborn, mainly because the ministries looked after their own interests. The Cabinet's administrative duties are complex and constantly changing and must be handled by specialized agencies. On the other hand, there are demands that structures, human resources and budgets be streamlined, and arguments for increasing or decreasing the budget are constantly being debated. In addition, officials in institutions or positions about to be merged have done everything in their power to keep the bill from passing.
Although the government and opposition reached a consensus on revising the act during the previous legislative session, the amendment was not completed and the process had to be repeated.
To keep the consensus alive, the Cabinet agreed to set up a human resources office for retired military personnel.
Several Cabinet members opposed the suggestion at last week's Cabinet meeting, but it was accepted following negotiations. The debate in the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) legislative caucus overturned a past suggestion that a ministry for retired military staff be established, instead proposing a ministry for national defense and retired military personnel.
The marine ministry that KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
It will be very difficult to pass the amendment because there is always someone who is not satisfied with the latest change. But this is a time of political uncertainty, which could be the best opportunity to pass the amendment. The Cabinet will resign, leaving vested interests with little power to block organizational changes. This serves to diminish pressure and facilitate discussion of the amendment based on the existing agreement.
Some people in Ma's camp and Democratic Progressive Party candidate Frank Hsieh's (
Even before taking up the presidency, South Korean president-elect Lee Myung-bak began streamlining the government and declared that the original 18 ministries would be streamlined to 13 ministries and two national commissions. He also appointed new Cabinet members.
After dozens of years of attempted reform, Taiwan's politicians are still busy promoting their own ideas. The difference in efficiency is telling.
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, people have been asking if Taiwan is the next Ukraine. At a G7 meeting of national leaders in January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Taiwan “could be the next Ukraine” if Chinese aggression is not checked. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that if Russia is not defeated, then “today, it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it can be Taiwan.” China does not like this rhetoric. Its diplomats ask people to stop saying “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” However, the rhetoric and stated ambition of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Taiwan shows strong parallels with