Sun, Aug 31, 2008 page2

• MA YING-JEOU: 100 DAYS IN OFFICE: Cabinet unveils new policy goals

  STEP BY STEP The government approved a series of of administrative guidelines whose priorities include increasing the nation’s competitiveness via improved ties with China

  • STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
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  Days before the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration’s 100th day in office, the Cabinet on Tuesday issued an online report detailing its work, emphasizing that the first 100 days were just the beginning and that it would not let the public down.

  “Step by step, we actualize people’s wishes and strive to lead Taiwan in a better direction,” the report said in the preface. “One hundred days is just the beginning, but we know the efforts are not enough. The new government will continue to work hard, add accomplishments and not let Taiwanese down.”

  The report, titled Moving Toward the Public’s Expectations, delineated the government’s efforts to implement clean politics, achieve cross-strait peace, “revive” the economy, improve national security, stabilize commodity prices, lower energy consumption, ensure social justice and bolster local development.

  The report said the new administration had sought to improve the economy by loosening a number of financial and economic restrictions.

  The report cited Hon Hai Group’s (鴻海集團) decision to increase its investment in Kaohsiung as proof that its efforts have yielded results.

  On commodity prices, the report said the Cabinet had cut tariff rates on eight major commodities such as wheat and other grains, set up a task force on stabilizing commodity prices and inked agreement with six hypermarkets and supermarkets chains to offer select commodities at a lower price.

  Regarding cross-strait peace, the report said the Cabinet had reopened negotiation mechanisms, implemented weekend cross-strait charter flights and launched measures to broaden cross-strait exchanges such as allowing more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan starting on July 4 as well as easing regulations on visits by local government chiefs to China.

  The report is available at www.gio.gov.tw/info/news/20080826/.

  Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved a set of administrative guidelines for next year aimed at regenerating national prosperity and ensuring good governance, integrity and the rule of law.

  The guidelines, which cover five policy directions, have boosting national competitiveness through improved cross-strait relations as one of their principal objectives, easing regulations, tax reform, increased investment in public infrastructure projects and a clean, competent and efficient government, a Cabinet official said on Friday.

  The Cabinet also intends to improve care for the disadvantaged and would continue to provide subsidies for low-income households and families close to the poverty line, as well as working to strengthen emergency relief response, the official said.

  Achieving energy and food self-sufficiency was another objective, the official said, adding that the government had taken various measures to promote energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions, such as encouraging taxi drivers to convert to dual-fuel vehicles, promoting the use of electric scooters, spurring the development of low carbon industries and increasing rice stockpiles by making better use of fallow farmland.

  The other objective was pushing the rejuvenation of culture, education and technology by promoting the development of the cultural and creative industry, reviewing educational reform, establishing criteria for the assessment of teaching quality and strengthening cooperation between enterprises and the academic sector.
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