MOVING ON Finally getting to step down as chief executive of the DPP caucus, the lawmaker says he has no regrets and that he's anxious to get to work on new legislation
DPP lawmaker Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) breathed a sign of relief last week as the dispute over the party's three legislative leadership posts finally came to a resolution after an unseemly 18-day deadlock. The end of the battle means that Tsai, the party's chief convener for the past eight months, can finally go back to being just a lawmaker. When his DPP colleagues Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), Wang Tuoh (王拓), and legislator at large Hsu Jung-shu (許榮淑) argued over who should lead the ruling party's legislative effort, Tsai patiently awaited a resolution and dutifully carried on as the party's chief executive. The dispute between the
LURID SAGA Seeking charges against the main suspects in the case, investigators confirmed most of the former lawmaker's story -- but accused him of drug addiction
The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office yesterday concluded that former KMT lawmaker Huang Hsien-chou (黃顯洲) was kidnapped and robbed. They indicted the two main suspects in the case with violating public morals and committing a forceful taking. Prosecutor Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發) sought a 10-year sentence for madam Chan Hui-hua (詹惠華) for charges related to luring Huang to meet with a prostitute and the theft of NT$800,000 from the former lawmaker. The kidnapping charges were subsumed under the public morals violation. Yu Hung-tsan (游洪贊), a friend of Chan's father who broke down under questioning and admitted to being hopelessly in love with Chan and
HUNGERY FOR SUCCESS Despite the badly ailing economy, publishers have turned up in droves this year to showcase an eclectic mix of book releases
Apparently unaffected by the sagging economy, the 10th Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE) this year surpassed previous levels of popularity, with the number of participating publishers expanding to 1,015 from last year's total of 886. "Running from Thursday through Sunday, the TIBE this year offers the public a wide range of book selections with 1,856 booths and publishers coming from 47 countries and regions," TIBE spokeswoman Chen Thu-yen (陳祖彥) said. Sponsored by the Government Information Office and the Chinese Publishers' Development Foundation, this year's theme is called "Style Orient, Global Perception," with Japan as this year's featured country. "Every year we feature a
Environmentalists yesterday called on the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to give careful consideration to a proposed policy that would cancel rewards for recycling PET bottles. Reports say the EPA is to announce the cancelation of the reward scheme in early March. The EPA would, however, offer a grace period -- lasting until the end of July -- to PET bottle manufacturers, retailers who recycle the product and consumers to help them adapt to the changes. Based on conclusions made on Thursday at a public hearing, environmental officials said the cancelation would be announced shortly in order to ease
The Taipei City Government announced yesterday that traffic controls would be imposed on several major thoroughfares today due to the arrival of a finger relic believed to have belonged to Sakyamuni Buddha -- the historic Buddha. As the relic will be sent directly from the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport to National Taiwan University's domed stadium for a three-day exhibition, the Taipei City Police Headquarters said traffic controls would be imposed on major streets along its route, including Hsinsheng S. Road, Jenai Road and Hsinhai Road. The controls will remain in place from 3pm through 5pm, a police official said, adding
STATE VISIT The US president is getting good reviews from political experts for refusing to restate the `three nos' and declining to endorse peaceful reunification
As US President George W. Bush wrapped up his six-day visit to Asia yesterday, analysts gave their thumbs up to his determination to voice his firm support for Taiwan despite pressure from China to do otherwise. "We felt gratified and relieved after watching Bush stick to his principles on the issue of Taiwan. He did not make any concessions, even after his meetings with the Chinese leaders in Beijing," said Cheng Tuan-yao (鄭端耀), research fellow at the Institute of International Relations in National Chengchi University. While past trips to China by US presidents have produced agreements or statements that have damaged Taiwan's
Prosecutors yesterday indicted Chiayi County Commissioner Chen Ming-wen (陳明文), his wife and six others for vote-buying in the run-up to city and county chief elections on Dec. 1 last year. Chen is the first county chief elected in December to be indicted for vote-buying. Chen has denied committing the offense. Prosecutors at the Chiayi District Prosecutors' Office said Chen and his accomplices organized group tours for local residents and provided free meals, in violation of the Election and Recall Law (選罷法). Chen won a legislative seat as a KMT candidate in 1998 but quit the party last year and joined the DPP
"One country, two systems" has no market in Taiwan, a Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) official said yesterday. MAC Vice Chairman John C.C. Deng (鄧振中) made the comment after releasing poll results at a news conference yesterday. The poll showed that 69.2 percent of interviewees are against China's "one country, two systems," while only 9.2 percent agree with the plan. Deng said that the results clearly show that people of Taiwan don't buy into the policy. In a similar study conducted last March, 16.1 percent of interviewees supported "one country, two systems." The figure declined to 13.3 percent last July and now stands
Companies eyeing cheap land and labor in China should instead invest in the nation's diplomatic allies in central and South America, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday. The issue of capital flight to China has long been a concern to politicians worried that Beijing may use Taiwanese investment to gain leverage over Taiwan. Lu yesterday said that a country with a poor human rights record and hostility toward Taiwan wasn't an ideal place to set up shop. Instead, central and South America are better choices, she said. Lu said she hoped to see new ideas to encourage investment in Taiwan's diplomatic allies
PREMIUM INCREASE Legislators say plans by the Bureau of National Health Insurance to hike rates should be put on hold until waste in the healthcare system is eliminated
DPP lawmakers are sick over a proposal by the Bureau of National Health Insurance to hike premiums and say more should be done to root out inefficiency in the nation's healthcare system. The bureau has proposed to the Department of Health raising rates for full-time workers from 4.25 percent of their monthly salary to 4.91 percent by July. The department is evaluating the proposal before sending it to the legislature. If approved, workers would have to pay between NT$20 and NT$67 more in health premiums a month. "Although the increase doesn't seem much for an individual, it could be a lot for a
ADVISORY BODY The KMT chairman says he won't join the president's cross-strait advisory group and wants the DPP to spell out its position on relations with China
KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday poured cold water on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposal to restart a cross-party advisory group on cross-strait relations. Lien said the KMT has no idea what the government's cross-strait policy is and is therefore unable to offer any comment on the issue. Showing his disapproval of the DPP's denial of the so-called "1992 consensus" that the KMT believes is the key to a resumption of cross-strait dialogue, Lien said it is the responsibility of those in power to work to improve cross-strait relations. Lien suggested that the government clearly state its position before seeking talks with China. On
UP IN SMOKE By next year, the nation will boast three plants for treating hazardous industrial waste, one each located in the north, center and south
The nation's first plant to treat hazardous industrial waste will go online next month if a compensation deal can be worked out with Kaohsiung County, where the facility will be located, government officials said yesterday. The new plant is a part of program established by recent amendments to the Waste Disposal Act. The goal is to control and clean up hazardous industrial waste and help industries reduce or recycle waste for other uses. Shih Yen-hsiang (施顏祥), head of the Industrial Development Bureau, said three plants to treat hazardous industrial waste will be set up by the end of next year. They will
EDUCATION Taiwanese studying in China want equal employment opportunities when they return home by getting fair recognition for their academic credentials
Graduates with diplomas from Chinese universities and students studying in China packed a room at the legislature yesterday to demand that the government act to have their academic credentials from China recognized. The students and graduates want legislation passed that would afford Taiwanese students in China equal employment opportunities when they return home. There are more than 4,000 Taiwanese students studying in Chinese colleges and an estimated 1,000 Taiwanese hold Chinese degrees that are not recognized by Taiwan's government. The issue -- although seemingly educational but considered by the government highly political -- has risen again with
The daughter of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is expecting a baby. Chen Hsing-yu (陳幸妤), 26, said yesterday that she is five weeks pregnant and was excited about the prospect of a new baby -- regardless of whether it's a boy or girl. Chen in September married Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘), an orthopedic surgeon at National Taiwan University Hospital. The hospital yesterday said that Chen's physical condition is healthy and normal. She's due in October. Chen said she first realized she might be pregnant after the results of a home pregnancy test on Valentine's Day. She visited the hospital with Chao on Wednesday to
The day of Feb. 28 will remain a public holiday this year and government employees will not be required to put in an extra work day to "make up" for it, according to the Cabinet's Central Personnel Administration (CPA). CPA chief Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) Wednesday gave an emergency briefing to Premier Yu Shyi-kun and obtained approval to cancel an extra work day for government employees and schools that was originally scheduled for March 3, a Saturday, to make up for work missed on the "228 Memorial Day" on Feb. 28. The government made Feb. 28 a public holiday in 1998 to commemorate
Four prestigious universities in Taiwan are hoping to emulate the University of California (UC) cooperative education system to raise the level of higher education in Taiwan. A delegation of Taiwanese university presidents and a ranking educational official are visiting UC headquarters in Oakland and the University of California campuses at Berkeley and San Francisco, hoping to use the UC university system as a reference for higher education in Taiwan. The visiting academics were Vice Minister of Education Lu Mu-lin (呂木琳), National Chiao Tung University President Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥), National Central University President Liu Chao-han (劉兆漢), National Yang Ming University President Wu Yen-hua
DYNASTY Yu Deng-fa was the founder of one of the most powerful forces in modern Taiwanese politics and his descendants continue to dominate the faction he founded
Twelve years after his death, Yu Deng-fa (余登發), one of the nation's founding democratic fathers, continues to exert a strong influence over Taiwanese politics. After the Cabinet's reshuffle was finalized and the new legislative session began earlier this month, the Yu clan of Kaohsiung County was the biggest winner. Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) was tapped to take over the Ministry of the Interior and his sister Yu Lin-ya (余玲雅) became the speaker of the Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council. Yu Jane-daw (余政道), their younger brother and Cheng Kuei-lien (鄭貴蓮), Yu Cheng-hsien's wife, are both newly elected DPP legislators. What's more, their mother Yu Chen
The navy is planning to send a training group to the US within the next few months to learn how to operate P-3C anti-submarine aircraft, which the US has offered to sell to Taiwan, defense sources said. The move does not indicate, however, that the navy has decided to buy the P-3Cs, the sources said. The US government agreed to sell 12 P-3Cs to Taiwan last April during annual arms talks between Taiwan and the US. The US is offering the training to get Taiwan's navy acquainted with the P-3C, which is superior in many ways to the S-2T anti-submarine aircraft
BEDFELLOWS Although the pan-blue parties have been getting along like chums, several issues could undermine the relationship, according to analysts
Though the KMT and PFP have been consummate bedfellows since agreeing to cooperate after the Dec. 1 legislative elections, numerous political developments could threaten the relationship, analysts say. While the two share the same pro-China ideology, the PFP and KMT don't agree on all the issues. In addition, there's the rising star of KMT member and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who may be a contender for the presidency in 2004 against PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜). "The opposition and ruling party differ on as many as 90 percent of the issues, which makes it rather natural for the two opposition parties to
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