Visiting US energy experts yesterday shifted their lobbying efforts to legislators, especially those from the DPP, in the belief that these political figures could convince the central government to scrap the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (
Accompanied by anti-nuclear activists from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, John Byrne and Edward Smeloff met with legislators at the DPP caucus office in the Legislative Yuan yesterday afternoon.
During the meeting, Byrne, the team's leader, told DPP legislators that the new government should take into account the liberalization of the electricity industry when considering the nuke plant issue.
DPP Legislator Hsu Tain-tsair (
Smeloff told of his experience as an elected board director of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District between 1987 and 1997. During that time, residents voted to close a nuclear power plant in that California city.
DPP Legislators Lai Chin-lin (
Kao Cheng-yan (
Before visiting the legislators yesterday, Byrne, Smeloff and two other US energy experts -- Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins -- paid a visit to Lin Hsin-yi (林信義), the minister of economic affairs.
Lin said he would not comment on the project because a ministry task force was reviewing the project.
"The project has its own historical burdens, but the coming final decision will be made based on different perspectives, including environmental and labor costs," Lin said.
In 1980, the Taiwan Power Co (Taipower,
Company officials say the plant is roughly 30 percent complete.
The DPP's victory in the March presidential election renewed hope that the project will be reviewed.
A ministry task force will decide the plant's future in September.
Lin told the US energy experts that he personally favors developing solar energy technologies and wind power plants, as Taiwan's unique climate and geographic conditions made those options ideal.
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
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
’DISTORTION’: Beijing’s assertion that the US agreed with its position on Taiwan is a recurring tactic it uses to falsely reinforce its sovereignty claims, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said Chinese state media deliberately distorted Taiwan’s sovereign status, following reports that US President Donald Trump agreed to uphold the “one China” policy in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). During the more than one-hour-long call, Xi urged Trump to retreat from trade measures that roiled the global economy and cautioned him against threatening steps on Taiwan, a Chinese government summary of the call said. China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying that the US should handle the Taiwan issue cautiously and avoid the two countries being drawn into dangerous
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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