The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) yesterday agreed to prioritize the review of the central government budget at the Legislative Yuan’s extraordinary session.
At a cross-party negotiation held in Taipei to discuss the extraordinary session, which began yesterday and is to run through Friday next week, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said he hoped the session could be simplified and focused on the national budget.
PFP Legislator Chou Chen Hsiu-hsia (周陳秀霞) and KMT caucus whip Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) also agreed that the budget should be the priority.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
However, the New Power Party (NPP) suggested that the session also be used to discuss other matters.
NPP Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said that he does not oppose tackling the general budget at the extraordinary session, but it could, in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) New Year’s Day address, also be used to review bills related to the organization of a national transportation safety and investigation agency, immigration and the protection of classified national security information.
Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) said those bills could be prioritized for review in the next legislative session, which begins next month.
The Legislative Yuan should be able to reach a conclusion on those bills next month, he added.
With regards to the KMT caucus’ plans to boycott the review of the Transitional Justice Commission’s budget, Su urged lawmakers to express their opinions through other methods besides denying the budget request, which would render the commission unable to pay its staff.
He said the caucuses should be able to communicate and negotiate a solution, he said.
The KMT does not oppose transitional justice, but it must be “authentic” justice, Chiang said.
The commission has no official chairperson or deputy chairperson and should not be functioning, he said, adding that the vacant positions are still being filled illegally.
The commission must first earn the people’s trust, and only by functioning legally would it have a chance of doing so, he said.
It is therefore reasonable to freeze the budget before the commission officially nominates candidates to fill the chairperson and deputy chairperson seats, he added.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS