Despite the setbacks the "small three links" policy has met, the Cabinet's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (
Premier Chang Chung-hsiung (張俊雄), however, said that the proposal to allow gambling in Kinmen and Matsu had not been finalized.
"We will see how the `small three links' policy goes before any discussion of other proposals [for construction on Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu islands] are made," Chang said yesterday afternoon.
Chang added that the Cabinet would make a conclusion on the proposal in the near future once related government agencies resolved their disagreements about it.
No further discussion on the issue took place at yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting.
The research commission's chairman, Lin Chia-cheng (
"Taiwan can use Hong Kong and Macau as examples, and turn Kinmen and Matsu into another `mini Hong Kong,'" Lin was quoted as saying yesterday morning.
Lin said that the "small three links" policy for Kinmen and Matsu was a top priority for the commission and would be regularly reviewed.
Lin went on to say that it was time for the Cabinet to start evaluating the feasibility of opening up gambling on Kinmen and Matsu, adding that the government should further explain its "small three links" policy to local residents on the island so that they could better benefit from its potential.
KMT legislator from Kinmen, Chen Ching-pao (
"Many Kinmen residents have strongly opposed such plans," Chen told the Taipei Times.
Chen added that "gambling would definitely have a negative impact on the former-battlefield districts."
Chen urged the DPP government to consult with residents of Kinmen and Matsu before drafting any measures to follow up implementation of the "small three links" policy.
Chen pointed out that as religious groups could soon be able to travel directly from Taiwan to China -- if approved by the Mainland Affairs Council -- Kinmen and Matsu could benefit from being stopover points for pilgrims.
He said that the government should create opportunities for religious adherents to stay overnight, which would boost their expenditures while staying on the islands and thus benefit the local economy.
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
‘WIN-WIN’: The Philippines, and central and eastern European countries are important potential drone cooperation partners, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung said Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in an interview published yesterday confirmed that there are joint ventures between Taiwan and Poland in the drone industry. Lin made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper). The government-backed Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems on Wednesday last week signed a memorandum of understanding in Poland to develop a “non-China” supply chain for drones and work together on key technologies. Asked if Taiwan prioritized Poland among central and eastern European countries in drone collaboration, Lin
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BACK TO WORK? Prosecutors said they are considering filing an appeal, while the Hsinchu City Government said it has applied for Ann Kao’s reinstatement as mayor The High Court yesterday found suspended Hsinchu mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) not guilty of embezzling assistant fees, reducing her sentence to six months in prison commutable to a fine from seven years and four months. The verdict acquitted Kao of the corruption charge, but found her guilty of causing a public official to commit document forgery. The High Prosecutors’ Office said it is reviewing the ruling and considering whether to file an appeal. The Taipei District Court in July last year sentenced Kao to seven years and four months in prison, along with a four-year deprivation of civil rights, for contravening the Anti-Corruption
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