The four winners of the legislative by-elections were sworn in yesterday by Grand Justice Huang Hung-hsia (黃虹霞), with Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and the caucus whips from the two main political parties attending.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Tian (余天), representing Taipei’s Sanchong District (三重), is to have a seat on the Internal Administration Committee, while DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文), representing Tainan’s second electoral district, is to have a seat on the Economic Committee, the Legislative Yuan said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Cheng-fang (柯呈枋) is to sit on the Transportation Committee, while independent Legislator Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍) is to join the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, it said.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said that the party welcomed two experienced members whose efforts would no doubt help immensely to push its policies.
Yu had served as a legislator and was on the Internal Administration Committee, while Kuo is equally experienced, having previously served as deputy minister of labor, Ker said.
Yu said that he promised during his campaign to be attentive to and to satisfy the public will, adding that he would prioritize matters that members of the public bring to his attention.
Yu cited as an example complaints by borough wardens about maintenance of closed-circuit television systems (CCTV).
CCTV maintenance used to be the borough warden’s responsibility, but it has been transferred to local police stations, but requests for repairs often go unheeded, Yu said, adding that he would prioritize resolving this issue, as it concerns public safety.
Kuo said that he would still need to get accustomed to a role reversal, with him asking questions now of government officials instead of being the one answering them.
His primary mission is to better serve his constituents though policy interpellation, project backing and funding allocation, Kuo said.
Ko said he hoped to amend legislation that would benefit the nation and the public, and that he would work with the KMT caucus and help provide oversight of the government.
As the first female legislator representing Kinmen County, Chen said she would make the “affairs of Kinmen residents, whether great or small, my affairs,” and would staunchly relay to the government their needs.
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
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
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
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS