Members of a task force charged with reviewing the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) established the 19-person team early this week under persistent pressure from anti-nuclear activists, who are demanding President Chen Shui-bian (
The group is composed of government representatives, academics, and industry members. Opponents of the project make up the majority of the task force members.
Four National Taiwan University professors -- Chang Kuo-lung (
"At the first meeting, we hope to discuss the rules of the game, including the order of the agenda and ways of participation," said Shih, a professor of chemical engineering who is also a former head of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union.
Shih also said activists hoped to pass a resolution to broadcast the team's discussions in the future.
They also hope to rally officials who have been supportive of environmental activism in the past, Shih said.
"I'm sure that Environmental Protection Administration chief, Lin Jun-yi (
For many years now, the CEPD head has been on friendly terms with the DPP, which has long supported environmental issues in Taiwan.
Other task force members, who have expressed support for nuclear energy in the past, include Atomic Energy Council Chairman Hsia Der-yu (夏德鈺), industry representatives Wang Chung-yu (王鍾渝) from China Steel Corp (中鋼), Liao Pen-ta (廖本達) from Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), and professors Lee Min (李敏) from National Tseng Hua University, and Wu Tsai-yi (吳再益) from the Taiwan Research Institute.
Shih said Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Hsin-yi (
"We have not yet heard these two key persons' opinions on the project, so we're going to fight to bring them to our side" said Shih.
Shih said the MOEA suggested representatives from several government agencies attend the meeting to help answer any technical questions task force members may have.
But Shih expressed bewilderment at the fact that officials from the Department of Health, Council of Agriculture and Ministry of Transportation and Communications were not on the list to attend the meeting.
Shih said such agencies had much to do with nuclear energy issues, given its proven health risks, possible environmental impact, radioactive waste management, and emergency evacuation in case of an accident.
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
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