The New Power Party (NPP) yesterday objected to credentials of nominees to the National Communications Commission (NCC), preventing cross-caucus negotiations from reaching a consensus and delaying confirmation votes.
Negotiations were called by Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) to finalize a confirmation vote date for five new members of the commission before the end of the legislative session, with NPP Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) refusing to agree to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) proposals to schedule the vote for July 5 on the grounds that NCC Secretary-General Jason Ho (何吉森) was yet to submit updated evidence of academic work.
He had earlier been criticized by Huang for listing himself as the author of a paper that he had only co-authored.
“If there is any delay [in the confirmation vote], it will not be the fault of the Legislative Yuan,” Huang said, adding that the Executive Yuan had failed to provide the evidence over the past two weeks.
“The sooner they send in the evidence, the sooner we can hold negotiations on when to have the confirmation vote,” he said, adding that he had been unable to locate many of the publications Ho listed as his work.
“The question is not just a matter of keeping the material up to date; there is also the possibility of fraud, which would influence a candidate’s qualifications,” NPP caucus convener Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said, rejecting proposals to set the July 5 date with a proviso that a vote would be held only if the material was provided.
The NPP agreed to hold new negotiations over when to stage a vote as soon as the materials were submitted, with Kao Ming-chiu (高明秋), head of the Legislative Yuan’s conference department, saying that the Executive Yuan promised to submit the materials next week.
Reforming the commission has been a signature issue for Huang, who played a prominent role in the “anti-media monopoly” movement against Want Want China Broadband’s failed attempt to acquire cable television channels owned by China Network Systems.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
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