Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday launched an anti-nuclear referendum drive in New Taipei City (新北市) against the establishment of dry storage facilities for spent fuel rods and the operation of the yet-to-be-completed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮).
Lu, an advocate of a “nuclear-free homeland,” said the safety of Taiwanese, especially those in northern Taiwan, was in jeopardy, with three nuclear power plants along the northern coast, but the government has ignored the public’s voice.
“With the passage of the Act Governing New Taipei Referendums (新北市公民投票自治條例) on June 25, people in New Taipei City, the city with the highest nuclear power plant density in the world with three plants, can make a change,” Lu told a press conference outside the Taipei International Convention Center, where Taipower Co was holding a public hearing on the establishment of dry casks for spent nuclear fuels in the first and second nuclear power plants in Jinshan District (金山) and Wanli District (萬里) respectively.
Photo: CNA
Lu said she had a three-phase plan for the referendum, which could be an opportunity for the public to alter the government’s insistence on the use of nuclear power.
The first phase is a four-vehicle motorcade, which is scheduled to tour the 28 districts in New Taipei City from yesterday through July 26 before making its way into Taipei City from July 27 to July 31 to raise anti-nuclear awareness among residents, she said.
The second phase would begin next month, when Lu and representatives from various civic groups would visit local opinion leaders.
The final phase would be the signature collection for the referendum petition, she said, adding that it was a hard-won opportunity for residents to have a say about the place they live.
If residents in Matsu could vote for the establishment of a casino resort with a referendum, residents in New Taipei City should also be able to determine whether they want nuclear power plants by a referendum,” said Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), director of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) New Taipei City office.
Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲), convener of Green Party of Taiwan, said the New Taipei City anti-nuclear referendum movement was a nonpartisan effort and called for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to join in the initiative.
“Taiwan is the only country in the world which has not only one, but three nuclear power plants near its capital,” Pan said.
Hsu Fu-hsiung (許富雄), a resident of Jinshan, which is located between the first and the second nuclear power plants, said residents did not believe Taipower could manage nuclear safety.
“If something bad happens, the ones who have to pay the price are not just the residents in Jinshan, but people of the entire nation. Let’s not forget that,” Hsu said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS