Chiayi on Tuesday became the first city outside of the six special municipalities to adopt the same-sex couples’ addendum, but the measure was criticized by same-sex couples as being too little, too late.
The addendum allows same-sex couples to exercise the same rights as family members in medical emergencies, such as signing surgery release forms and being allowed to visit hospitalized partners.
Chiayi Mayor Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) told a news conference that the household registration offices in the East District (東區) and West District (西區) will begin processing registration applications by same-sex couples next month.
However, a man using the pseudonym “66” complained at the news conference that the move came too late and offered too little.
Citing the Tainan City Government’s adoption of the addendum, “66” said applicants in Tainan were able to have the addendum stamped on their household registration documents, but Chiayi does not allow such open registration. It also requires both partners to be registered residents of Chiayi, he said.
While the city government has made an effort to promote same-sex rights, the limitations have dampened the spirits of many of his friends, he said.
Chiayi officials said that the addendum could not be openly marked on household registration documents because it lacks legal backing, as same-sex marriage has yet to be legalized in the nation.
Twu also said that the city’s announcement was a tentative first step before the Civic Code could be amended to legalize same-sex marriage, and the city government is open to suggestions on how to improve the measures.
Representatives of several groups who attended the news conference called on the government to be more active in promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.
They suggested incorporating same-sex issues into sex education, hosting activities involving LGBT groups and establishing a friendlier working and medical environments toward LGBT people.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
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