Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) yesterday approved the resignation of Minister without Portfolio Chu Yun-peng (朱雲鵬), who on Wednesday admitted he had skipped work to go out on dates during office hours after a local magazine carried a story and photos of him and his girlfriend hitting the town on April 7 and April 10.
Chu, a key adviser for the the Cabinet's economic and cross-strait policies, told a press conference last night that he made a verbal offer to resign on Wednesday after the story by Chinese-language weekly Next Magazine hit the newsstand. Although Liu rejected his verbal offer to quit, Chu said on Friday he submitted a written resignation, adding that Liu had not approved his resignation until yesterday after he again expressed his wish to leave the Cabinet.
Chu apologized to the public on Wednesday, but also defended himself by saying his work kept him occupied after normal working hours and on weekends, adding that he was once so busy that he contracted an illness and had to check into a hospital.
At the press conference last night, Chu again offered an apology, saying that he felt sorry for the time and resources the public spent in discussing the matter.
Chu, a professor of economics at National Central University, said he would continue his teaching career.
Executive Yuan spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓), who also attended the press conference, said Liu “reluctantly” accepted the resignation after he insisted.
Liu's approval of Chu's resignation came as a surprise because on Wednesday Su quoted Liu as saying that he gave Chu an oral reprimand and demanded that he not “repeat the mistake.”
On Thursday, when asked whether Chu should step down, following the precedents of former Taipei City Civil Affairs Department chief Ho Hung-jung (何鴻榮) and former Taipei City Research and Examination Department director Chou Wen-tsai (周韻采), who were also caught skipping work, Su said that they were different cases and couldn't be compared to each other.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
CRITICISM: It is deeply regrettable that China, which is pursuing nuclear weapons, has suppressed Taiwan, which is pursuing peace, a government official said Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) yesterday accused Beijing of interference after Taiwan’s official delegation to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan was assigned seating in the “international non-governmental organizations [NGO]” area. “Taiwan is by no means an international NGO, but a sovereign nation that is active on the international stage,” Lee said. Lee and Chen Ming-chun (陳銘俊), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Fukuoka, attended the ceremony in Nagasaki yesterday, which marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. That followed Lee’s attendance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday
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