Privatization efforts for Taiwan Power (
The legislature passed a budget for the state-run enterprises yesterday after what had turned into a legislative showdown.
The government had originally proposed that NT$44.2 billion gained from profits in Taiwan Power's sale of stock be used for privatization and that NT$30.3 billion from Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor's stock sale be used for the same purpose. However, members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People First Party (PFP), as well as members of the Alliance of Independent Lawmakers, opposed both measures. The Taiwan Solidarity Union also opposed the Taiwan Power plan.
"This will affect the both companies' financial positions this year and cause financial difficulties for the treasury," Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (
"Privatization of state-owned businesses has been a long-term policy objective ever since the KMT administration. The move toward privatization won't be halted no matter who is in power. Yet the pan-blue caucuses want to please the state-owned businesses' unions. Even so, their act might not earn them more votes," Ker said.
Although the DPP lost on the privatization vote, it won a vote on a NT$3.8 billion subsidy for Chunghwa Telecom's (中華電信) cellular phone business despite the PFP's earlier vow to oppose the plan.
If the subsidy had not been passed, Chunghwa Telecom would not have been able to offer its customers special packages involving inexpensive mobile phones.
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
RULES BROKEN: The MAC warned Chinese not to say anything that would be harmful to the autonomous status of Taiwan or undermine its sovereignty A Chinese couple accused of disrupting a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents has been deported, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement yesterday afternoon. A Chinese man, surnamed Yao (姚), and his wife were escorted by immigration officials to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where they boarded a flight to China before noon yesterday, the agency said. The agency said that it had annulled the couple’s entry permits, citing alleged contraventions of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法). The couple applied to visit a family member in
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