Legislators yesterday passed the third reading of amendments to Article 49 of the Electricity Act (電業法), which stipulate that at least half of the electricity price evaluation committee should be made up of civilian representatives, and a resolution to invite President William Lai (賴清德) to present a state of the nation address at the Legislative Yuan.
They also passed a motion proposed by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) that the government remove restrictions on group tours to China.
On the last day of this year’s first legislative session, the legislators attempted to deal with dozens of bills through negotiations or voting.
Photo: Lin Che-yuan, Taipei Times
The TPP’s version of amendments to Article 49 of the Electricity Act passed the third reading.
The amendments state that civilian representatives, which include experts and civic group members, should make up at least half of the members of an electricity price evaluation committee.
The committee’s evaluation method would be decided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, based on the principle of fairness, justice and transparency, they say.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The KMT first proposed the amendment, saying that power price hikes must be approved by the legislature.
Legislators also passed the TPP’s and the KMT’s joint proposal to observe the newly amended Act Governing the Legislative Yuan’s Power (立法院職權行使法) and invite the president to present a state of the nation address at the legislature.
The president would be obliged to respond to legislators’ questions, while issues such as how long the questions should be, how many legislators would be allowed to ask questions, the order of priority and the ratio of legislators from different political parties, would be discussed and agreed upon through cross-caucus negotiations.
The TPP’s and the KMT’s proposal demanding that the government remove restrictions on group tours to China, and prioritize Chinese tourists and tour groups wanting to visit Kinmen, Penghu and Lienchiang counties also passed.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications had previously banned Taiwanese tour groups from visiting China from June 1.
Lawmakers also passed a proposal to ensure that each point under the National Health Insurance (NHI) program’s point system would be equivalent to NT$0.95 or NT$1 by June 30 next year to ensure the program remains solvent.
It was a rare instance in which a measure is to be implemented without amending a law.
Parties agreed during cross-party negotiations not to pass a draft statute for reconstruction after the April 3 earthquake, but to directly approve a resolution to subsidize reconstruction and promote local development.
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake resulted in 17 deaths and 1,146 injuries, and more than 1,247 buildings nationwide were listed as “dangerous.” It also caused nearly NT$100 billion (US$3.07 billion) in damage to agricultural produce.
Amendments to Article 286 of the Criminal Code unanimously passed a third reading.
The amendments increase the punishment by half of the original sentence for people found guilty of abusing children under the age of seven or those who are physically or mentally challenged.
Amendments to the National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) also passed, restricting all commission members to a maximum of two terms and removing all clauses regarding extensions or reappointments.
The amendments also state that if the committee cannot find seven members as mandated, the premier is obligated to nominate people to fill the positions within three months.
PROVOCATIVE: Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Sun Lei accused Japan of sending military vessels to deliberately provoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait China denounced remarks by Japan and the EU about the South China Sea at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, and accused Tokyo of provocative behavior in the Taiwan Strait and planning military expansion. Ayano Kunimitsu, a Japanese vice foreign minister, told the Council meeting on maritime security that Tokyo was seriously concerned about the situation in the East China and South China seas, and reiterated Japan’s opposition to any attempt to change the “status quo” by force, and obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight. Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the EU delegation to the UN, also highlighted South China Sea
The final batch of 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks purchased from the US arrived at Taipei Port last night and were transported to the Armor Training Command in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口), completing the military’s multi-year procurement of 108 of the tanks. Starting at 12:10am today, reporters observed more than a dozen civilian flatbed trailers departing from Taipei Port, each carrying an M1A2T tank covered with black waterproof tarps. Escorted by military vehicles, the convoy traveled via the West Coast Expressway to the Armor Training Command, with police implementing traffic control. The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM-11 Brave Tiger
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said it expects its 2-nanometer (2nm) chip capacity to grow at a compound annual rate of 70 percent from this year to 2028. The projection comes as five fabs begin volume production of 2-nanometer chips this year — two in Hsinchu and three in Kaohsiung — TSMC senior vice president and deputy cochief operating officer Cliff Hou (侯永清) said at the company’s annual technology symposium in Silicon Valley, California, last week. Output in the first year of 2-nanometer production, which began in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to
Taiwan’s drone exports surged past US$100 million in the first quarter, exceeding last year’s full-year total, with the Czech Republic emerging as the largest buyer, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. Exports of complete drones reached US$115.85 million in the period, about 1.2 times the total recorded for all of last year, the ministry said in a report. Exports to the Czech Republic accounted for about US$100 million, far outpacing other markets. Poland, last year’s top destination, recorded about US$11.75 million in the first quarter. Taiwan’s drone exports have expanded rapidly in the past few years, with last year’s total
RSS