The New Power Party (NPP) criticized slow government progress on key reforms yesterday, just ahead of the anniversary of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inauguration.
“We’re worried that many reforms will only be half done,” NPP caucus whip Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said, citing slow progress on articles for furthering transitional justice, along with an amendment to the Referendum Act (公民投票法).
He added that while cross-strait relations are an important domestic consideration, they should not serve as an excuse to drag out political “normalization,” such as removing the last vestiges of the provincial government.
Photo: Yang Chun-hui, Taipei Times
“When we proposed an agenda for constitutional reform last year, the ruling party said it would set its own pace and schedule for pushing reform, but the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] is about to enter its second year in power. Constitutional reform is not something that can be achieved in one big leap — if we still cannot see a schedule, I have trouble imagining how any constitutional reforms can be accomplished by the end of the DPP’s term,” NPP Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) said.
Constitutional amendments are necessary to fundamentally address issues such as lowering the voting age and clarifying the nation’s relationship with Aborigines, he said.
NPP Legislator Hung Tzu-yung (洪慈庸) criticized the slow progress in realizing housing policy goals, as well as the failure to ameliorate the long working hours and low wages faced by the nation’s young people.
“Currently, the issue of providing public childcare is still just empty talk,” Hung said.
NPP Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal, an Amis, criticized the passage of a bill aimed at reviving Aboriginal languages for failing to specify the sources of funding.
Michael Lin (林世煜), president of the NPP’s think tank, criticized the DPP for treating voters as “teammates” before the election and “pig-heads” afterward.
Citing the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program bill passing a review by the legislature’s Economics Committee, he said the DPP had become more arrogant, willing to discuss its policies prior to elections, but “treating people as its enemies” afterward.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
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