Struggling to win support from fellow Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members for the continued construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, Premier Jiang Yi-huan (江宜樺) last night invited mayors of cities in the “evacuation zone” around the facility to dinner.
Jiang was trying to foster unity among influential party members to defend the construction of the plant, which has met with strong opposition from the public.
The meeting began at 7pm and had not finished by 9:50pm.
A number of polls have shown that more than 70 percent of the public want the plant to be scrapped, fueling calls for the government to order an immediate halt to construction.
Concerned over the safety of the plant, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) had said that he would vote to suspend construction if a referendum were held now, becoming the first KMT local government head to declare his stance on the issue.
Earlier yesterday, Hau said he would not change his position.
New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) declined to reveal his voting intention, but has expressed strong concerns over safety and worries about nuclear waste disposal.
“If Taiwan cannot deal with the problem of disposal of nuclear waste, how can the country be in a position to use nuclear energy?” Chu said.
Keelung Mayor Chang Tong-rong (張通榮) said that the three cities have to be on the same page on the issue.
Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國), Deputy Taipei Mayor Chen Wei-zen (陳威仁) and Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) also attended the meeting.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old