The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus said yesterday it may call for provisional legislative sessions to deal with extra bills, with reviews of a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China topping the agenda.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) said the government hoped to sign the agreement with China next month and had promised to refer the proposal to the legislature for review afterwards.
The caucus will give priority to the proposed ECFA if the legislature were to hold provisional sessions, Lin said.
Legislators reached a consensus on Tuesday to extend the current session to June 8 and hold provisional plenary sessions on Thursday next week and on June 7 to approve more bills.
Lawmakers are expected to pass a proposed amendment to the Act Governing the Relations Between the Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) that would grant tax exemptions to airlines operating across the Taiwan Strait and to approve budget requests of state-run enterprises before the legislature goes into recess.
However, a number of important bills, including a draft act on allocation of government revenues and expenditures, a bill on a second-generation National Health Insurance program and three proposals that would open up local schools to Chinese students and recognize Chinese credentials, are still pending legislative review.
Taiwan does not allow Chinese students to enroll in local schools, although the Ministry of Education would like to begin recruitment in September.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus had given in on the issue, but insist that a series of bans the ministry previously proposed should be enshrined in the law.
Despite the KMT caucus’ plan to hold provisional legislative sessions, Lin said the Ministry of Education’s plan might have to be delayed because it was unlikely that the legislature would be able to pass the three Chinese students-related bills by the end of the legislative session.
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