The Statute Regarding Real-Estate Securitization (不動產證券化條例) was the first of the six economy revitalization bills that passed third reading at the legislature late last night on the second day of the three-day special session.
The Statute Governing the Establishment and Management of Free Ports (自由貿易港區設置及管理條例) passed second reading except for one article.
"The final day of the extraordinary session will vote on Clause 10:2 when lawmakers move forward to the third reading of the bill tomorrow," Legislative Yuan Vice President Chiang Ping-kun (
After independent lawmakers' opposition to the clause -- according to which basic wages of foreign workers in free ports would be excluded from restrictions covering non-Taiwanese workers' minimum wages in the Labor Standards Law (勞動基準法) -- a legislative showdown is likely today.
Lawmakers also achieved a consensus on advancing the real-estate securitization statute in the final minutes of yesterday's session.
The real-estate bill, which passed third reading late last night, became the first of the six economic stimulus bills likely to be passed by the special session after the Ministry of Finance adjusted its position according to a previous consensus of all the party caucuses.
According to the consensus, developing land projects will be barred from the securitization plan.
The free-port law, stipulating rules for the establishment and operation of free ports, stagnated due to a challenge from independent lawmakers who refused to endorse an earlier consensus reached by the other four party caucuses.
The independents demanded the DPP prioritize the proposed Regulation on Offshore Development (離島建設條例) in the next legislative session in exchange for their support.
The free-port legislation finally moved ahead after Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) visited the Legislative Yuan and asked lawmakers to speed things up.
"Finalizing the free-port law is not only a matter for Kaohsiung, but also an issue for the whole country since setting up free ports is decisive to Taiwan's hope to reinforce economic competitiveness," Hsieh told representatives of the independent alliance.
"The free-port legislation was expected to clear the legislative floor in January," Hsieh said.
Hsieh also said that it was worrying that any measures left unresolved by the special session will be further held up when the legislature resumes in September by the confirmation vote for new grand justices, which will top the agenda in the new session.
Independent lawmakers finally gave a green light to the free-port statute after meeting with Hsieh and Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).
"This is the first draft bill approved by multiparty negotiations, a starting point of achievement for the three-day extraordinary session," said Wang after the second reading of the free-port statute.
The second-day session started with a marathon of multiparty negotiations, which led Wang to give a pessimistic prediction for the final results of the special session.
"Fundamental discord exists among individual party caucuses regarding each of the six bills. The only thing we can do is try our utmost to mend our differences and push for the best result in the special session," Wang said.
Also see story:
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique