The Executive Yuan appeared to be heading for compromise with legislators over the controversial Agricultural Development Act (
While the legislature's economics committee was debating its review of the Act, the KMT's Central Standing Committee announced the appointment of Lin Hsiang-nung (
Lin replaced Peng Tso-kwei (
Lin, 63, who has been the council vice chairman since 1989, has served four chairmen including Yu Yu-hsien (
His appointment as vice chairman in 1989 raised eyebrows within the council because Lin had more experience in diplomacy than with matters regarding agriculture.
He served as secretary to then Minister of Foreign Affairs Lien Chan (
His 25 years of experience in foreign affairs made him a professional diplomat specializing in foreign languages, politics, the legal system, negotiation, and the quality that was desperately needed for the agricultural initiative of the time, internationalization.
Lin emphasized yesterday that he shared Peng's ideals but would respect the Legislature's decision on the issue.
Meanwhile, DPP legislator Ko Chien-ming (
Ko said that Lin's appointment itself was a clear sign that the Executive Yuan was determined to make a policy U-turn after Peng's departure.
Responding to Ko, Lin said he marched with the farmers because he wanted to let them know that the COA was "not ignoring their voice."
Birthplace
Born 1936 in Meinung (美濃), Kaohsiung County
Education
BA: Department of Foreign Affairs, National Chengchi University (政治?j學)
MA: Graduate School of Politics, Chinese Culture University (??國???j學)
Experience
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (25 years), including stints in Haiti, Argentina, Venezuela, and Chile
Served as MOFA's deputy director of the Central and South American Affairs division
Served as vice chairman of the Council of Agriculture for 10 years (1989 -- 1999)
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS