On the first anniversary of Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin's (郝龍斌) inauguration, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City caucus yesterday expressed its dissatisfaction over major municipal developments and urged Hau to stop focusing on confronting the central government.
Hau yesterday spoke of some major municipal challenges and achievements during his first year in office, including the construction of the exclusive bus lanes on Roosevelt Road, the management of Taipei Arena and the technical problems with the Maokong Gondola, vowing to continue making Taipei a better city.
"Facing all the challenges, we have always followed the laws and regulations and have managed to fix most of the problems," Hau said yesterday at the anniversary ceremony at the Taipei Arena.
PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FONG, TAIPEI TIMES
DPP Taipei City Councilor Chen Chia-ming (
"The city government budged NT$4 billion [US$120 million] to dredge the river, but did not do anything. Besides, in order to dredge the Danshui River, the city government turned the Keelung River into a gutter for waste water from the Danshui River," Chen said yesterday at the Taipei City Council.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Wu Su-yao (
Wu said that media coverage on Hau had focused on his administration's confrontation with the central government, followed by the Maokong Gondola and Taipei Arena problems and his campaigning for KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
"The city government will hold 22 big events with a budget of NT$28 million next year and plans to invite Ma to attend those events. Evidently those are campaign activities for Ma," Wu said.
Hau yesterday acknowledged his administration's problematic relations with the central government, but blamed the central government for creating the conflicts.
"We have been in a passive position in the disputes with the central government. The city government does not stir up trouble. However, we will fight for our rights in line with the law," he added.
Outside Taipei Arena, a small group of people from Taipei City's parking management union protested against the city government's allegedly illegal layoff of four of its members.
Protected by more than 200 police outside the arena who kept the protesters at bay, Hau dismissed the union's calls for him to negotiate the issue, adding that he supported the city's transportation department decision to fire the workers, who had illegally taken 200 days off last year.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS