An important policy like the government’s proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China should be subject to public approval, former grand justice Su Chun-hsiung (蘇俊雄) said in support of holding a referendum on the controversial trade pact.
One day after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers blocked an opposition-sponsored bill calling for a referendum, Su said the government should have used this chance to hear public concern and dissenting opinions raised by the opposition.
The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said it would submit a separate referendum proposal to the Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee tomorrow, and if passed, a vote on an ECFA could happen as early as late next month.
However, a similar proposal by the DPP was rejected by the committee last year after it said the referendum question was based on a hypothetical situation that did not meet the criteria of the Referendum Act (公投法).
“It’s a common misperception,” Su said, adding that Taiwan’s referendum system also allows for polls initiated by citizens.
Su made the comments at a gathering of law enforcement personnel in support of an ECFA referendum at the TSU’s central party headquarters in Taipei City yesterday.
Among those also in attendance were former heads of National Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of National Development Chen Chun-sheng (陳春生), former principal of the National Police University Hsieh Zui-chi (謝瑞智) and former head of the Taiwan Bar Association Tseng Chao-chang (曾肇昌).
“What it comes down to … is that Taiwan and China have a hostile relationship and if China says that Taiwan will ‘benefit’ from this agreement, it really means that Taiwan will pay by losing its sovereignty,” Tseng said.
“The public needs to have a vote on this important national policy,” he said.
In related news, the head of the DPP’s ECFA response team said yesterday the party would focus on assisting the TSU with its referendum proposal after the debate between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Sunday.
“The KMT keeps saying it wants to sign an ECFA with public approval. They should realize that a referendum is the best gauge of this,” Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.
RSS