Social activists yesterday showed their approval of Chen Shui-bian (
Basing their opinion on Chen's performance as Taipei City mayor, the activists said they were confident that Chen could do a much better job than the KMT.
Social activists in organizations representing labor, women, Aborigines and earthquake victims, jointly affirmed their belief in the future new government yesterday.
"The voice of the masses will be listened to more in the future," said Liglove Awu (
Chen's victory in the presidential race could act as a stimulus to the nascent struggle of Taiwan's Aboriginal population for more autonomy.
Last September Chen signed a bilateral agreement, or "New Partnership" document, with 11 representatives from Aboriginal ethnic groups. In the agreement, Chen recognized many innate privileges that should be enjoyed by Aborigines, such as local autonomy and the native ownership of land.
"We signed this agreement on the basis of equality and a consensus to pursue autonomy," said Omi Wilang (
Peng Yen-wen (
Peng said Chen had implemented solid women's policies during his term as Taipei Mayor.
"His experience coordinating with social groups in Taipei is applicable nationwide," Peng said.
Participation by women in politics has been one of Chen's policy platforms. Peng said Chen promised a minimum 25 percent female recruitment rate in the Cabinet, the Council of Grand Justices, the Control Yuan and the Examination Yuan.
"All of these promises should be due [for implementation] soon after Chen's inauguration," Peng said.
High expectations have also been found among labor groups. On March 11, Chen promised the Committee of Action for the Labor Legislature (CALL, 工人立法行動委員會) to implement labor changes by 2002, and reduce working hours from the existing 48 hours per week to 40 hours.
"Chen seldom overlooked his promised labor policies in his term as Taipei Mayor. We expect and believe he will do a better job than the present government," said the secretary-general of the Taiwan Labour Front, Kuo Kuo-wen (
The prospective candidate for Premier, Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (
"Lee knows all the problems of reconstruction much better than the government," said Peng Sheng-chin (
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
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency as well as long-term residency in Taiwan has decreased, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that the reduction of Chinese spouses staying or living in Taiwan is only one facet reflecting the general decrease in the number of people willing to get married in Taiwan. The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency last year was 7,123, down by 2,931, or 29.15 percent, from the previous year. The same census showed that the number of Chinese spouses applying for long-term residency and receiving approval last year stood at 2,973, down 1,520,
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