The Ministry of Justice has drafted an amendment to the Counter-Terrorism Financing Act (資恐防制法) that would list threats and aggressive behavior toward critical national infrastructure, major facilities or core systems as acts of terrorism.
The ministry yesterday said the current law is inapplicable to certain proliferation financing cases in Taiwan.
It made major amendments to the act, expanding it from 15 articles to 24 articles, the ministry said.
Photo courtesy of Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan
A definition for terrorism financing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was added to the drafted amendment, it said.
Terrorism financing is defined as providing property, property interests or financial services to people who engage in terrorist activities.
Terrorist activities are defined as intent to cause loss of life, severe injuries, or significant economic or property damage, and threatening the public, or coercing government agencies, foreign government agencies or intergovernmental organizations.
The ministry said threats and aggressive behavior toward critical national infrastructure, major facilities or core systems might cause great damage, and affect national and social security.
Therefore, it has included threats to the public and coercion to government agencies, foreign government agencies or intergovernmental organizations into the list of terrorists activities, it said.
It means that contravening the Electricity Act (電業法), Natural Gas Enterprise Act (天然氣事業法), Petroleum Administration Act (石油管理法), Water Supply Act (自來水法), Railway Act (鐵路法) and Mass Rapid Transit Act (大眾捷運法) might be treated as terrorist activities, the ministry said.
According to the drafted amendment, perpetrators who directly or indirectly collect or provide property or property interests for an individual, a legal person or a group engaged in terrorist activities could face imprisonment of six months to five years and a fine of no more than NT$5 million (US$155,904).
In addition, as petroleum smuggling activities from Taiwan to North Korea have been detected several times in the past few years, the drafted amendment also imposes punishment on perpetrators who conceal trading information, turn off their vessel’s automatic identification system without reason, or damage, alter or hide their vessel name.
Perpetrators could face up to three years of imprisonment or detention or a penalty of no more than NT$600,000, according to the draft amendment.
Taiwanese who contravene this article outside of the nation’s territory could also face punishment, no matter whether the country where the crime takes place has such laws, the draft said.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS