Question: Six months into the term, are you satisfied with your performance? And what will be high on the agenda for the future?
Answer: Although there are still some differences among administrative entities, most of them are pretty much in tune. We've also made quite a few achievements in terms of realizing the consensus reached at the Economic Development Advisory Conference last August. High on the Cabinet's agenda is the execution of the six-year national development project.
Q: How does the Executive Yuan plan to realize President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) call for Taiwan to go its own way and pursue more opportunities in Southeast Asia -- particularly when the president introduced the controversial theory that there is one state on each side of the Taiwan Strait and that the government should seriously consider pushing for the plebiscite law?
A: It's natural for a country to walk its own way and Taiwan is no exception.
The president just pointed out the simple fact that we are walking our own way toward democracy, freedom and human rights, which are universal values.
It is the duty of the Executive Yuan to put the president's calls into practice.
As for the plebiscite law, the Cabinet will respect the decision of the legislature since it reviewed the bill during the last legislative session and may review it again in the near future.
As for the "go south" policy, it's the right way to go because China is not the only market in the world -- rather, it is part of a vast web of world markets.
It's very dangerous for Taiwan, which is an export-oriented country, to put all its eggs in one basket.
Q: Facing China's continuous suppression of Taiwan's diplomatic space, how does the government plan to cope with the predicament?
A: China has not stopped its efforts to push Taiwan out of the international political arena. It is also accelerating its military buildup. The result is that neighboring countries are nervous and it has prompted an arms race in the region.
I'm calling on the US, Japan and Southeast Asian countries to pay close attention to the development of the situation.
It's tough for Taiwan to face China's military intimidation alone. We have to team up with other countries to tackle the problem.
What we can do is strengthen exchanges with the international community and promote the ach-ievements we've made in the areas of freedom, democracy, human rights and world peace over the years.
As long as the world shares these common values, we stand a better chance of winning their support.
Q: As the Executive Yuan has set up a national asset management committee, how does the government plan to take care of those national assets held by individuals or political parties?
A: You have to take care of the matters differently. If it concerns an individual, it has to be tackled in accordance with the law.
If it concerns a political party, it has to abide by a special measure, which is in the drafting process by the Ministry of Justice.
The process may take time, though, because we've never had such legislation before. I hope we'll be able to send the bill to the legislature for further review and final approval when the legislative body reconvenes in September.
Q: How does the government plan to tackle the financial crisis?
A: Our short-term plan is to use the NT$300 billion financial reconstruction fund to help banks write off bad loans.
I hope to see the problem resolved in two years. I expect to see a comprehensive report on the study of bad loans by the end of July and a list of possible solutions by the end of August. As soon as the Cabinet approves the proposal, we'll send it to the legislature for final approval.
Taiwan yesterday condemned the recent increase in Chinese coast guard-escorted fishing vessels operating illegally in waters around the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. Unusually large groupings of Chinese fishing vessels began to appear around the islands on Feb. 15, when at least six motherships and 29 smaller boats were sighted, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a news release. While CGA vessels were dispatched to expel the Chinese boats, Chinese coast guard ships trespassed into Taiwan’s restricted waters and unsuccessfully attempted to interfere, the CGA said. Due to the provocation, the CGA initiated an operation to increase
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
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