Whether or not Taiwan should pursue casinos as a way to boost tourism remains a matter open to discussion, Yeh Chu-lan (
Yeh told the legislature's Transportation and Communications Committee yesterday that she disapproved of casinos and said that their illegality prevented the ministry from pursuing gambling as a way to boost tourism.
Still, Yeh said, the issue remains open to debate.
Yeh has a long-standing record as a legislator of opposing casinos. She made her remarks after legislators yesterday urged the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to include casino development in the ministry's tourism promotion plans.
But KMT lawmaker Chang Fu-hsin (
Hsu Chin-yuan (
Hsu Su-yeh (許素葉), a KMT lawmaker, said that the ministry "lacked the guts" to push forward measures to establish casinos. "Most Taiwanese talk about morality as an excuse to reject casinos but always gamble themselves," Hsu said.
Yeh said she was "not against casinos as an element in all tourism projects," but added that "because gambling is still illegal, the ministry considers this to be an issue that requires further discussion."
But the KMT's Hsu said that it was very easy to amend the laws to allow casinos. "It is we who have the right to modify laws. As long as the ministry has the determination to promote casinos to support tourism, I don't see any problem with that," he said.
Yeh said that the possibility of setting up casinos was currently under evaluation by the Council of Economic Planning and Development. As to whether gambling should be legalized, that's a matter for the Ministry of Justice, Yeh said.
As for the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Yeh said she wasn't prepared to make gambling an element of tourism promotion campaigns.
"In fact, we don't necessarily have to rely on casinos," Yeh said.
"Many other countries have successfully developed their tourism industries without setting up casinos."
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS