The newly-formed No War Home-land Alliance said yesterday that it is seeking to hold a referendum on the NT$618 billion (US$18.07 billion) arms procurement budget pending approval in the Legislative Yuan.
The referendum push marks the latest increase in public opposition to the budget, which has been passed by the Executive Yuan. It proposes to spend the money over 15 years.
"We are not against national defense; we are against a budget which proposes taking money away from future generations of Taiwanese," alliance head Chou Sheng-hsin (
The group is calling for a referendum on two questions. The first would read: "I object to the government paying for arms purchases by selling national land, taking on debt or selling government shares in national industries [yes or no]."
The second reads: "I agree that the government should enter equal-status negotiations to arrange a 50-year peace agreement to maintain the status quo to benefit people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait [yes or no]."
The group is opposed to selling government assets or accumulating debt because it would hurt the welfare of the people, Chou said.
"If there has to be an arms budget, then we suggest levying a national tax. That way the government would have to get the approval of the people before initiating the budget," Chou said.
"We want the status quo. Hopefully, in 50 years, there will have been enough generational or ideological change for further consideration of the problem of Taiwanese independence," Chou said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it