The Executive Yuan yesterday completed the review of the draft bill of the Political Party Law (政黨法), which would ban political parties from operating or investing in a profit-making enterprise, including television and radio stations.
Parties that already operate or have invested in a profit-making enterprise would be required to sell the property or put it into trust within two years of the law taking effect.
But in order to spread their views, parties would be allowed to operate or invest in newspapers, magazines, books or publications, including online media.
The draft will go to tomorrow's weekly Cabinet affairs meeting for approval before proceeding to the legislature for further review and final approval.
The draft bill, which is considered one of the "sunshine laws," is listed as one of the priority bills that the Cabinet hopes to pass during the next legislative session, which convenes on Sept. 24.
The four "sunshine laws" include the political party law (政黨法), the lobby law (遊說法), the political donation law (政治獻金法) and the already-passed Trust Enterprise Law (信託業法).
The Legislative Yuan passed the Trust Enterprise Law (信託業法) on June 30, 2000, helping KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) to carry out his pledge in the run-up to the presidential election to put the party's assets into a trust.
The other three pieces of legislation, however, have yet passed into law.
Addressing the press conference after last night's closed-door meeting, Minister without Portfolio Yeh Jiunn-rong (
"We'd like to create a fair, competitive environment that makes sense for all political parties," he said. "We'd also like to set down guidelines for what a political party can and cannot do."
In addition, the government would like to see the financial records of political parties to be open and transparent and to see parties establish democratic mechanisms within themselves, Yeh said.
To create a fair and reasonable competitive environment, all parties would be entitled to fairly use public venues and the mass media.
A party that violates the ban on investing and operating a profit-making enterprise would face a fine of between NT$5 million and NT$25 million.
In addition, parties would be banned from establishing local chapters on campuses, in the military, in judicial institutions and in government organizations.
To make a party's financial records open and transparent, the financial sources of a party would be limited to membership fees, campaign donations, campaign subsidies or bank interest.
Parties would also be required to keep copies of receipts for at least five years and account books for at least 10 years. Their annual financial report would have to be ratified by a certified accountant and made public either through a government bulletin, newspaper or online.
A political party would also be prohibited from possessing any real estate except for that used for office buildings.
Parties which already own real estate other than office buildings would be required to sell the property.
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS