The legislature yesterday revised rules allowing for an increase of about NT$20 billion (US$661.7 million) to the annual education budget, to be used to extend compulsory education from nine years to 12 years starting in 2014.
Under the amended Compilation and Administration of Educational Expenditures Act (教育經費編列與管理法), the yearly education budget cannot be less than 22.5 percent of the net tax income of the previous three years, up from the present 21.5 percent.
The amendment stipulates that the newly added budget of NT$20 billion must be used to implement the 12-year compulsory education proposal by 2014, to ensure that the project does not crowd out existing education spending.
In view of the decreasing number of students as a result of a declining fertility rate, the legislature approved an amendment to the Private School Act (私立學校法) that allows for conversion of use of private-school land to other purposes related to cultural and social welfare institutions.
The amendment exempted private schools from being subject to a penalty under the Land Tax Act (土地稅法) for the use of land inconsistent with the designated purpose of donation, a fine equal to two times the land value increment tax.
Meanwhile, the legislature yesterday approved an amendment to the Organic Act of the National Security Bureau (國家安全局組織法) to change the organization into a three-tier system modeled on the US’ CIA.
Based on the amendment, the security bureau can set up subordinate units within the bureau, as well as establish overseas missions when necessary.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard