■ Education
Chen's resignation approved
Premier Frank Hsieh yesterday approved Council of Indigenous Peoples Chairman Chen Chien-nien's (陳建年) resignation from the position and is expected to nominate Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU) Legislator Walis Palin (瓦歷斯貝林) as the council's new head today, according to the Central News Agency (CNA). Walis is a pan-blue-friendly (NPSU) politician. Chen has been indicted for allegedly buying votes for his daughter Chen Ying (陳瑩) in last year's legislative elections. Chen Ying was elected as the first Aboriginal legislator to represent the Democratic Progressive Party in the legislature.
■ Politics
Wang hints at running
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) yesterday said that he might run for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship if Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) decides not to take part in the vote among party members. Responding to questions from reporters at the Legislative Yuan, Wang said he would consider running for the party's highest post only if Lien decided not to participate. It was the first time that Wang, a vice chairman of the KMT, revealed his intent to run. As to a media report that KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (江丙坤) might also join the contest and stands a good chance of winning, Wang claimed that he was not aware of this before reading newspaper reports. Meanwhile, aides to Chiang said he had no knowledge of the matter and called the report media speculation.
■ Politics
Bill spurs legislative reply
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) will call for cross-party negotiations to seek support for a legislative resolution voicing opposition to China's proposed anti-secession legislation. The decision was made at yesterday's plenary legislative session after the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislative caucus filed a motion asking the legislature to respond to the planned legislation. TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) said the legislature is obligated to express the public's position on the matter. "Taiwan is an independent sovereign state and not part of China. The people of Taiwan should have the right to decide their own future and destiny and pursue such common values as freedom, human rights, democracy and peace," Lo said. China's proposed law not only infringes on Taiwan's sovereignty and identity, but will also meet with opposition and abhorrence from Taiwanese people, Lo said. "China should immediately stop the passage of the law, which is detrimental to mutual understanding and cross-strait exchanges and will alienate the people of Taiwan and China," he said.
■ Politics
Legislators sue UMC chair
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislators Lo Chih-ming (羅志明), David Huang (黃適卓), Tseng Tsan-teng (曾燦燈) and Chen Yin-ho (陳銀河) yesterday filed a libel suit against United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) chairman Robert Tsao (曹興誠). On Feb. 23, Tsao ran an open letter in various newspapers stating that members of the TSU were regarded as "clowns" by the public. The TSU decided to bring a case against Tsao. According to Lo, the TSU had uncovered illegal investment by UMC in China ahead of a probe by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. However, UMC denied any illegal investment. Tsao later admitted to having had a close relationship with China's He Jian Technology (Suzhou) Co, contradicting his earlier denial.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
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