Experts attending a conference on ethnic and cultural development suggested yesterday that the Executive Yuan accelerate steps toward the establishment of a ministry of culture and tourism to facilitate various policies on cultural and tourism development.
Upon the conclusion of the three-day Conference on Ethnic and Cultural Development, experts from academic, political and social circles agreed that the Executive Yuan should quicken its pace in establishing the much-talked-about culture and tourism ministry as many important relevant policies have lagged far behind.
Collaboration
The experts called for Cabinet-level agencies to collaborate in promoting four major "cultural transformations" -- transforming the "culture of colonialism" to a "culture of autonomy, "the "culture of Taiwan as a base of operations" to a "culture of Taiwan as the homeland," the "culture of imitation" to a "culture of creativity" and the "culture of elitism" to a "national culture."
They also suggested that a new constitution be written, with a new section devoted exclusively to Aboriginal affairs to show the government's determination in carrying out the policy of "partnership between Taiwan's indigenous people and the central government."
They added that the Executive Yuan should also work to facilitate policies on autonomy for the Aboriginal people.
On the well-being of the increasing number of foreign spouses married to Taiwanese, the experts suggested that an anti-discrimination law be enacted and an immigration administration be established under the Ministry of the Interior.
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition