The quasi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), which serves as the sole civil organization authorized to conduct cross-strait negotiations, yesterday elected its fifth board of directors, replacing 12 incumbents.
With the appointments, PFP and TSU representatives were elected to the board for the first time.
The board also approved a proposal to revise its constitution to downsize itself from 49 members to between 25 and 31, and to guarantee the government at least 10 seats.
The current board's term expires on Dec. 2. Most incumbents will retain their posts for another three-year term.
Also on Dec. 2, the new board will elect the foundation's chairman, vice chairmen and secretary-general.
Party representation
The new board includes one representative from each major political party. DPP Legislator Chen Chung-hsin (
The PFP and TSU now have members on the board for the first time. Representing the PFP is Chang Hsien-yao (
"The new board is more comprehensive as its reflects current party politics by including PFP and TSU representatives," said the foundation's secretary-general, Shi Hwai-yow (
The PFP, established in 2000, and the TSU, established last year, were formed after the foundation's last reshuffle three years ago.
SEF Chairman Koo Chen-fu (
Speculation
However Koo declined to confirm such speculation yesterday.
"Leadership of the SEF is generated by political appointments. We will respect the arrangements from the government," he said.
At least 18 board members, however, will not retain their posts for the full three-year term. The downsizing approved yesterday will take effect once the foundation's constitution has been amended to reflect the decision and the revision has been approved by the Mainland Affairs Council.
According to Shi, the board's downsizing will be accomplished "within months."
"The current size of the board of directors is too big to enable us to operate effectively," Shi said.
Shi denied the connection between the downsizing of the board of directors and rumors that the foundation had been rendered redundant by strong control from the government.
He said that the average size of the board of directors for domestic civil organizations is around 20 members.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday established a friendship group with their counterparts in Ukraine to promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. A ceremony in Taipei for the Taiwan-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Association, initiated by DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), was attended by lawmakers and officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) and European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan Director Lutz Gullner. The increasingly dire situation in Ukraine is a global concern, and Taiwan cannot turn its back when the latter is in need of help, as the two countries share many common values and interests,
RSS