Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday rejected an invitation from students to hold a debate on the government’s plan to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, saying he was busy and “does not understand the details as well as” the economics minister.
A group of students from National Taiwan University, National Taiwan Normal University and National Taiwan University of Science and Technology called a press conference on Monday asking Wu to explain the content of the ECFA and its impact on students at an NTU forum on Dec. 26 and Dec. 27.
Approached by reporters, Wu said that Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) would deliver a speech at the forum and discuss the issue with students.
“There are two reasons [why I turned down the invitation]: I am scheduled to attend a ground-breaking ceremony for the fourth-stage expansion of the Central Taiwan Science Park on Dec. 26 in Erlin Township [二林], Changhua County and to go south on Dec. 27,” Wu said.
Wu also said he knew less about the details of the ECFA than Shih does.
“[Shih] is the most suitable person. The MOEA is in charge of the matter and he is familiar with the whole subject. If students have any questions, he has the professional knowledge to answer them,” Wu said.
He also said officials with the MOEA, the Council of Labor Affairs and the Council for Economic Planning and Development briefed him yesterday during lunch on supplementary measures that must be adopted if Taiwan signs free trade agreements with more countries following an ECFA.
Wu said he would answer questions from lawmakers if the legislature held any sessions on the issue as the premier is responsible to the legislature.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
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