The Taipei City Government yesterday confirmed reports that Deputy Taipei Mayor Chou Li-fang (周麗芳) has been relieved of her responsibilities as 2017 Universiade chief executive officer.
“The Universiade needs a full-time executive, but there is no way [Chou] can spend half of every day at the Taipei Arena,” Ko said, terming the change a “reassignment of duties.”
In response to media reports terming Chou “indecisive,” Ko said that everyone had their own opinion, but he believed in “using people’s strong points instead of their weaknesses.”
Photo: Kuo An-chia, Taipei Times
It was not necessary to respond to every criticism, he said.
Chou’s appointment as Taipei’s third deputy mayor came months after the appointments of the others in the role, while she assumed the post of Universiade executive after an open call for applications failed to find a suitable candidate.
At the time, Ko had expressed confidence in Chou’s ability to manage the event, despite her lacking an athletics background, saying that the executive committee that she would head would exercise “collective leadership.”
Chou said that finding a full-time Universiade CEO was necessary because the staff charged with organizing the event at the Taipei Arena should not be left “headless.”
“The responsibility of a deputy mayor is multi-layered and I can not move my office to the Taipei Arena just because of the Universiade,” she said, adding it was “necessary” to find someone to “share the burden.”
Chou said that her gaining the assent of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) for the transfer of the Universiade’s opening and closing ceremonies from the Taipei Dome to the Taipei Municipal Stadium demonstrated her ability.
Taipei applied for the change after conflict with the dome’s contractor Farglory Group (遠雄集團) created uncertainty over its completion date.
Chou is responsible for major international events such as the Universiade and next year’s World Design Capital as part of a broader division of duties that places her in charge of city “software” such as cultural events and marketing, with the other deputy mayors responsible for negotiations with outside groups and the “hardware” of city development plans.
Her previous responsibilities as Universiade CEO are to be shouldered by Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Chairman Chen Ming-shiun (陳銘薰).
Chou is to continue to serve as the vice-chairperson of the Universiade Hosting Committee to which the Universiade CEO reports.
Ko serves as the committee’s chairman.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it