President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday visited the families of the four Chiayi construction workers washed away by floodwaters on Saturday and offered his apologies to the bereaved families in person.
Chen told the families that the government was at fault and would take full responsibility, promising the families compensation and to help take care of their livelihoods.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Chen offered an official apology for the government's failure to rescue the workers in time, amid criticism over what was called the government's incompetence.
Premier Tang Fei (
Instead, Vice Premier Yu Shyi-kun, who also headed the Cabinet's disaster prevention and rescue task force, resigned on Tuesday to take the blame.
National Police Administration Director-General Ting Yuan-chin (
Red tape and poor coordination between the air force and police has been blamed for the delayed dispatch of a rescue helicopter.
In addition, local fire-fighters were also blamed for not being able to implement effective measures to help the workers when they needed rescuing.
Continuing their pressure on the government, opposition lawmakers yesterday demanded that Vice Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang (
"Many agencies were responsible for the incident, and the fire-fighting and air police forces that were responsible for much of the mismanagement are all under the Ministry of the Interior," said Tseng Yung-chuan (
Both Minister of the Interior Chang Po-ya (
The lawmakers, from the KMT, New Party and People First Party, said that since Chang was abroad when the tragedy took place, Lee should be the one to take political responsibility on behalf of the interior ministry.
In response, Chang said the fatal incident was being "over-politicized" by the opposition parties.
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
A Chinese aircraft carrier group entered Japan’s economic waters over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said yesterday. The Liaoning aircraft carrier, two missile destroyers and one fast combat supply ship sailed about 300km southwest of Japan’s easternmost island of Minamitori on Saturday, a ministry statement said. It was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier had entered that part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a ministry spokesman said. “We think the Chinese military is trying to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,” the spokesman said. China’s growing
The High Court yesterday found a New Taipei City woman guilty of charges related to helping Beijing secure surrender agreements from military service members. Lee Huei-hsin (李慧馨) was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法), making illegal compacts with government employees and bribery, the court said. The verdict is final. Lee, the manager of a temple in the city’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), was accused of arranging for eight service members to make surrender pledges to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in exchange for money, the court said. The pledges, which required them to provide identification
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
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