Vice Minister of National Defense Chang Liang-jen (張良任) told lawmakers yesterday that the number of high-ranking officers would likely drop when the military completes its restructuring plan.
“The appropriate number of high-ranking officers will be decided after the military restructuring,” Chang told the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee.
He was responding to a comment by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who told a Presidential Office dinner party on Wednesday that there were too many generals.
Chang told lawmakers that the ministry began plans to cut its ranks last year but has not yet finalized a plan.
“It takes a remarkable academic background, remarkable field experience and a remarkable reputation for management for an officer to become a general. It is not an easy thing,” Chang said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) suggested the committee amend the National Defense Act (國防法) and the Organic Act of the Ministry of National Defense (國防部組織法).
“We need real generals who have been through strict screening mechanisms and those who have survived and won in the battlefield,” Tsai said.
“We do not need as many 'stars' as we have now,” Tsai said.
Chang, meanwhile, said that the military would continue to be vigilant in monitoring the activities of the Chinese military, even though the Chinese Army recently decided to cancel a regular large-scale exercise in the “Nanjing Military Region.”
The drill usually simulates an attack on Taiwan.
“It is not right to say that the Chinese military has given up its designs on Taiwan just because this exercise was canceled. I certainly would not presume that,” he said. “We remain on high alert as normal.”
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS