The Presidential Office yesterday officially requested the Legislative Yuan to allow President Chen Shui-bian (
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) promised to convene cross-party negotiations by Thurs-day to discuss what would be the first-ever "state-of-the-nation" report.
PHOTO: CNA
"In order to strengthen national security, maintain democracy and freedom, facilitate national progress and development and seek support from both ruling and opposition parties on major national policies, [the president] expects to deliver the special report on three important issues -- the arms procurement budget, the nation's bid to enter the UN and peaceful cross-strait development," the message said.
It was delivered to the Legislative Yuan by Presidential Office First Bureau Chief Leonard Chao (
The message said the request was in accordance with the Fourth Additional Article in the Constitution, which says that the Legislative Yuan can invite the president to make a "state-of-the-nation" address every year.
"We hereby request that the Legislative Yuan arrange for the state-of-the-nation address to be delivered as soon as possible," the message said.
Chen announced his decision to directly communicate with opposition legislators on the arms deal during an address at the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) extraordinary national congress on Sunday.
Opposition parties responded yesterday by saying that they wanted a question-and-answer session between legislators and the president to immediately follow the report, while the DPP insisted that this would spoil the spirit of the Constitution and cause a constitutional crisis.
"Chen says that he is willing to further interact with legislators after delivering the special report," Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said. "The president will respect the Legislative Yuan's decision on how the state-of-the-nation address will proceed because the president expects that the processes will not be `one-way' communication."
The Fourth Additional Article does not state that legislators can demand a question-and-answer session with the president.
Cho's remarks hinted that Chen may stay at the Legislative Yuan to listen to the legislators' suggestions and offer a summary response.
Meanwhile, Wang said that because legislative agendas and budget allocations had already been set, it would be difficult to allow the president to deliver a report before December's legislative elections. But the final decision could be arrived at after negotiations, he said.
Wang indicated that, according to the spirit of the Additional Articles, the right to determine whether the president will report to the Legislative Yuan lies solely with the legislature.
Now that Chen had taken the initiative, and out of respect for the president, Wang said he would convene cross-party negotiations after receiving the request.
On the viability of a question-and-answer session following the president's report, Wang said that if Chen were to come to the Legislative Yuan, he should interact with its members and provide explanations if legislative members have questions.
"Otherwise, how would it differ from making an announcement on television?" Wang said.
Wang also said that there should be no limit placed on topics.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft