The Executive Yuan and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus have their sights on clearing six major items through the legislature with the new legislative session to begin on Tuesday next week, officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday.
The six items are: the general budget, the budget for state-run businesses for the current fiscal year, the special budget for the procurement of 66 F-16V jets, a proposal to abolish the Stamp Tax Act (印花稅法) and the nomination of five Central Election Commission members and the auditor-general, they said.
As the legislative elections are to be held on Jan. 11 next year and a substantial proportion of lawmakers will be campaigning, leaving them with less time to review proposals, Executive Yuan and caucus executives agreed to not list priority bills, the officials said.
Photo: CNA
However, two proposals concerning the US-China trade dispute that were to be discussed during the previous session might be reviewed, they said.
A proposed amendment to the Foreign Trade Act (貿易法) aims to prevent Chinese-made products shipped to the nation being labeled “Made in Taiwan” and a proposed amendment to the Trade Secrets Act (營業秘密法) would allow prosecutors to issue confidentiality orders for investigations that involve the operations of technology firms to help prevent their commercial secrets from being leaked.
The Executive Yuan attaches high importance to the general budget for the next fiscal year, as well as the budget for the operations of state-run businesses in the current fiscal year, which should have been approved two sessions ago, the officials said.
Of the six items, the proposal to repeal the Stamp Tax Act is expected to be the most contentious. While the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has united 15 mayors and commissioners in administrative regions that it governs to oppose the proposal, other opposition lawmakers have said that they would not block the proposal, they said.
The budget for procuring the F-16Vs should not meet with opposition from the pan-blue camp and is expected to pass, they said.
The Executive Yuan has nominated Soochow University professor of political science Huang Hsiu-tuan (黃秀端), Deputy Minister of the Interior Chih Chang-yueh (邱昌嶽), National University of Kaohsiung professor of economics and financial law Evelyn Chen (陳越端), National Chengchi University associate professor of political science Lin Chao-chi (林超琦) and National Cheng Kung University associate professor of political science Meng Chih-cheng (蒙志成) to fill five posts that are to be vacated by retiring members, while President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has nominated Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Deputy Minister Chen Ruei-min (陳瑞敏) for auditor-general.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.