Members of the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China yesterday rallied outside the legislature in Taipei to protest against the pan-green camp’s proposals to abolish a special act governing the organization’s operations.
About 300 members from the society’s chapters nationwide participated in the protest, with some coming from Hualien and outlying Kinmen county.
Shouting slogans, the protesters said the law could be amended, but that it must not be nullified, as they called for social “stigma” to be dismissed.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and New Power Party (NPP) legislators have proposed abolishing the Red Cross Society Act of the Republic of China (中華民國紅十字會法) over perceived loopholes they say have made the organization an offshoot of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), created unfair stratification for younger members and allowed it to avoid public scrutiny when appropriating donations.
Several KMT legislators took to the stage to give speeches in support of the society.
KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) said he is against the “lame” political persecution launched by the pan-green camp against the society, adding that all 35 KMT lawmakers would attempt to block the passage of the bill.
KMT Legislator Arthur Chen (陳宜民) said that abolishing the act would be a mistake, as more than 150 nations have promulgated special legislation for the Red Cross.
KMT Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) lauded the society’s efforts to rescue people during emergencies, adding that, with the number of lives the society has saved, its members should go to heaven, but the pan-green camp is attempting to send them to hell.
“I wonder why ‘Big Green’ DPP and ‘Little Green’ NPP are so eager to get rid of you... Society has been inverted. What was good is now evil, and what was evil is now good,” Apollo Chen said.
KMT Legislator Alicia Wang (王育敏) said that the act must not be abolished and the society must not be disbanded, as the organization has served as an important channel for the nation to boost its international space by participating in international relief efforts.
Following a discussion with the DPP caucus in May, the Executive Yuan said that it was positioned to “retain the organization, but abolish the special act.”
Society president Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) said that the Red Cross’ government-appointed directors and supervisors could be removed in the wake of criticism that there are KMT-appointed “guardians” in the organization.
She said if the public does not like the rule allowing the organization’s president to serve unlimited terms, the act could be changed to limit the number of terms the vice president can serve to one.
If the public has doubts over the way donations are spent during emergencies, the act could be amended to include provisions stipulating how the money is to be spent, she added.
Wang Ching-feng said she would request a constitutional interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices if the act is abolished, adding that she would retire if the act is amended or abolished.
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address