The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday criticized the Yu Shyi-kun Cabinet as "broken down," pointing to what it called the nation's dismal economic state as proof of its failure.
Speaking on the day of the Cabinet's customary resignation, the KMT also expressed little optimism for the next Cabinet during a press conference.
"Over the past three years, the Yu Cabinet has constantly challenged opposition parties and created instability in the political arena," KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (
Chang said the nation only saw an average 4.2 percent growth in GDP per year, while over the three years prior to the transfer of power in 2000, the KMT government saw an average 5.3 percent growth.
Chang cited this difference as evidence that Yu's administration had "flunked." He added that this figure ranked behind those of the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
Part of the reason for the Cabinet's failure, Chang said, was President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) insistence on forming a "minority administration."
"In 2000, Chen had the excuse of just being elected when forming his `minority administration.' Three years ago, he had another excuse, because the pan-green camp saw an increase in legislative seats after the [2001] legislative elections. Now, in the face of fresh public opinion, as reflected in the pan-blue majority in the legislature, Chen has no more excuses," Chang said.
The KMT has urged Chen to nominate a pan-blue candidate for the next premier and allow him or her to assemble a Cabinet of their choice.
Chang and KMT caucus whip Huang Teh-fu (黃德福) also mocked Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) heavyweight and Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).
They said that, in selecting Hsieh as the next premier, Chen showed that his words on negotiating with opposition parties about the composition of the Cabinet were empty.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau is again on the front line as China, and the US and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic nation of just 17,000 people hosts US-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the US military describes as “critical” to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the second island chain, a string of
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck about 33km off the coast of Hualien City was the "main shock" in a series of quakes in the area, with aftershocks expected over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Prior to the magnitude 5.9 quake shaking most of Taiwan at 6:53pm yesterday, six other earthquakes stronger than a magnitude of 4, starting with a magnitude 5.5 quake at 6:09pm, occurred in the area. CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) confirmed that the quakes were all part of the same series and that the magnitude 5.5 temblor was
RSS