Legislators yesterday urged the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to address the issue of the fifth freedom of the air for cross-strait flights in negotiations with China over an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).
The fifth freedom of the air would allow Taiwanese carriers to fly on to other nations after arriving at airports in China, and vice versa.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Yang Li-huan (楊麗環) and Chu Fong-chi (朱鳳芝) suggested that the ministry take the opportunity presented by ECFA talks to discuss the matter.
Chu said Taiwan and China had failed to reach a consensus on the fifth freedom at previous cross-strait talks because if China agrees to the fifth freedom, it could risk Chinese carriers losing some customers to their Taiwanese counterparts.
MOTC Deputy Minister Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said the ministry could make policy suggestions to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and recommend that it list the issue on the agenda for talks with Chinese officials if “it is in the best interest of Taiwan.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), on the other hand, said that the ministry should work to gain observer status for Taiwan in the UN International Civil Aviation Organization.
The proposals were put forward at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee to review the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s (CAA) budget for the 2010 fiscal year.
Aside from the matter of cross-strait flights, some legislators also criticized the CAA for what they said was a lackluster performance by Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
A report by Airports Council International (ACI) ranked the airport 18th in the Asia-Pacific region last year in terms of flight passenger volume, down from 14th in 2007.
Lawmakers said there were shortcomings in the airport’s infrastructure. They also suggested that the MOTC dismiss flight control personnel at airports that have relatively low usage rates.
DPP Legislator Kuo Wen-chen (郭玟成) said some airports, such as Pingtung’s, have a usage rate of about 1 percent since the launch of the high-speed rail.
Yeh Kuang-shih said the ministry would review the operations of all airports nationwide.
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
RSS