President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday met Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers to exchange ideas on nuclear safety, as legislators called for more discussions on nuclear policy before finalizing a decision on whether the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant would become operational.
In a closed-door meeting at KMT headquarters, Ma, who also doubles as KMT chairman, said the government would make safety a top priority in the development of nuclear power and reiterated that his administration would not allow the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant to start operations until all safety measures had been completed.
Amid opposition from anti-nuclear activists, the president said the government would listen to different opinions on the issue and seek professional assessments from experts before making policies on nuclear power in the future.
KMT Legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) expressed concern about the government’s plan to allocate an additional budget for the completion of the plant, adding that Ma and the KMT should support the establishment of a legislative committee on nuclear safety to address the issue.
“Issues regarding the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should go beyond political party lines and it is lawmakers’ responsibility to reflect the voice of the people. Rather than adding to the budget for the project, the government should focus on seeking a consensus on the issue,” Ting said.
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), who had said that Ma insisted on the additional budget for the project, kept a low profile when asked to comment on his stance and said safety would be the government’s priority when handling the nuclear issue.
Executive Yuan Secretary-General Chen Wei-zen (陳威仁) and Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) also attended the meeting last night.
KMT spokesman Yin Wei (殷瑋) said Ma would continue to communicate with the party’s lawmakers on the nuclear issue.
Ma is due to attend a Cabinet one-day forum in Taipei today, during which nuclear safety and the power plant are to be discussed.
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
RSS