Premier Yu Shyi-kun reaffirmed yesterday that his new Cabinet would focus on enhancing technological development, but not at the expense of Taiwan's cultural heritage.
Yu made the remarks while visiting Taiho village, Tungshan township, Ilan County, yesterday to pay his respects to his ancestors at a family shrine and stop at nearby temples.
PHOTO: LI CHEN-HUA, TAIPEI TIMES
Yu mentioned President Chen Shui-bian's (
The premier, a self-made man whose reputation was built around his two terms as magistrate of Ilan County, has prided himself on promoting cultural activities during his stint as county chief.
He said that only through technology and cultural enhancement can the nation retain its competitive edge and improve the quality of life.
Asked about whether the Cabinet will consider a revised law governing the allocation of government revenues -- which was railroaded through the legislature in mid-January -- Yu said that the matter is now being handled by Lin Chuang (
The revision, initiated by the KMT and supported by the PFP, will require the central government to give a larger portion of its revenue to local governments.
Prior to the revision, the central government provided 40 percent of its transaction tax revenue, 10 percent of its income tax revenue and 10 percent of the excise duty to local governments, including the two special municipalities of Taipei and Kaohsiung.
Under the revised law, the percentage of revenue to be earmarked for local governments will increase to 50 percent of the transaction tax, 30 percent of income tax and 30 percent of excise duty.
According to the government's forecast, this could see the money disbursed to local governments increase by between NT$150 billion and NT$310 billion, which would make an enormous dent in the central government's coffers.
The revised law also advocates changes to the way the money is split among local governments, with 15.5 percent going to Taipei City, 10 percent going to Kaohsiung City, 61.5 percent going to other counties and 7 percent going to townships.
The KMT initiated the changes at the request of Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Although the Executive Yuan said the funding reduction is necessary to reverse the financial imbalance between Taipei City and other jurisdictions, the opposition said it is a political reprisal against Ma, who may be the KMT's best hope for winning back the presidency.
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS