President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday met representatives of Mom Loves Taiwan, an association of mothers against nuclear power, at the Presidential Office for a hearing on nuclear safety.
The association was founded by several female public figures and celebrities, including Fubon Cultural and Educational Foundation board director Irene Chen (陳藹玲). Representatives who attended the meeting included Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders chairperson Serena Chen (陳莉茵), Taipei Parents’ Association member Chang Yu-huei (常玉慧) and others, as well specialists.
When the association was established earlier this year, it said its main goals were to make Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) disclose all the facts about safety at nuclear power plants, become a platform for civic discussion, demand all dangerous nuclear plants stop operation, stop the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and review and discuss new energy policies.
Photo: CNA
The Presidential Office said on Friday that before the national anti-nuclear protest on March 9, the office had already noticed that the public was concerned about nuclear safety and began making contact with civic groups, hoping to communicate with them.
Before the meeting, Irene Chen said the association would present four requests, including information disclosure, comprehensive re-evaluation of all nuclear power plants, new energy policies and that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant issue not be decided by referendum.
Irene Chen said the association is not an anti-nuclear group, but aims to monitor, question and disseminate correct information on nuclear safety so people can make informed decisions. However, she said the safety of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant is a big concern.
Ma said the government’s nuclear power policy is to “ensure nuclear safety, steadily reduce [the use of] nuclear power, create a green low carbon environment and gradually achieve a nuclear-free homeland.”
However, the goal must be achieved without power rationing, while maintaining reasonable electricity rates and abiding by international commitments on carbon reduction, he said.
As to the disposal of nuclear waste, Atomic Energy Council (AEC) Minister Tsai Chuen-horng (蔡春鴻) said there are about 80 low-radiation final disposal sites in the world, so the technology to achieve it should not be a problem, and spent fuel pools or deep underground storage for highly radioactive fuel rods are being planned.
Responding to concerns about the high population density in Greater Taipei near three nuclear power plants, as mentioned in the journal Nature in 2011, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said it was a misunderstanding and the article highlighted the culture of safety and safety procedures rather than the density of the nearby population.
National Tsing Hua University nuclear engineering professor Yu Ge-ping (喻冀平) said nuclear power plants around the world are located within 75km of high population areas because the power demands are higher in these areas, and population density in these areas is not directly connected to nuclear safety.
However, several representatives were not satisfied with those answers and said the threat posed by radiation to people in a 20km range is different than posed to people within 75km, and “we care about the people [in this area].”
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to