Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that if she was elected president in January, her administration would work to enshrine into law a plan seeking to decommission Taiwan’s nuclear industry.
The 2025 nuclear-free homeland proposal — the first major policy initiative unveiled by Tsai since she announced her presidential bid — would halt operations at the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and would not renew licenses for the other three nuclear plants pending the development of other energy sources.
Drawing a direct line to the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan, Tsai yesterday said nuclear power “has led to many concerns,” especially given the proximity of two of the older nuclear plants — Jinshan and Guosheng nuclear power plants — to Taipei and New Taipei City (新北市).
“The Japanese government has already asked the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, which is located 200km from the capital, to cease operations. Meanwhile our -government doesn’t seem concerned about the proximity of Taipei to nuclear power plants,” she said.
Tsai said she would ask the DPP’s legislative caucus to make plans to enshrine the nuclear-free homeland proposal into law if the party regained power next year.
“We hope this would force the government to act and carry it out after it becomes law,” Tsai told a crowd in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮), a seaside town where the fourth nuclear plant is under construction.
Critics of the project, which includes the DPP under Tsai, say the power plant is unnecessary and that nuclear regulators have failed to crack down on numerous design flaws and construction errors.
President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration says the plant will help meet Taiwan’s greenhouse emissions reduction targets.
Tsai has said the reductions could be offset by large investments in renewable energy sources, including wind and solar.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
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