■ Politics
Wang to tender resignation
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who also doubles as a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice chairman, said yesterday that he will tender his resignation to KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) sometime today. Wang made the statement after meeting Lien, who returned to Taiwan earlier in the day to a warm greeting from party officials yesterday. Wang and KMT chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) were among those who greeted Lien upon his arrival at CKS International Airport. The two shook hands without having further interaction. Lien, who had traveled to Washington to attend a meeting of the International Democrat Union, said that he was extremely proud of the election, and that he had called the two candidates afterward to congratulate one and give his regards to the other.
■ Politics
KMT lawmaker quits party
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Sho-wen (張碩文) of Yunlin County yesterday officially withdrew from the party, dropping the number of pan-blue lawmakers in the legislature's Procedure Committee down to 18 from 19. There are 16 pan-green lawmakers on the committee. The number of independent lawmakers will increase to two if Chang eventually decides to join the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union. Chang yesterday, however, said that he is not considering joining any party at the moment and needs some time to think about his future. Chang's departure was triggered by his displeasure over "defamatory" remarks made during the party's chairmanship election campaign by the supporters of KMT chairman-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) about his father, Chang Hui-yuan (張輝元). Chang Hui-yuan supported Ma's election rival, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平). The Ma camp claimed that over 8,000 party members registered in the party's Yunlin chapter did not exist.
■ Society
Officials perform in English
In the hope that Taiwan can become a country free of communication barriers and synchronize with the pace of globalization, the Central Personnel Administration has been actively promoting the English ability of civil servants and urging institutes to create an English-friendly environment. "We expect that, by the end of 2007, over 50 percent of civil servants under the Executive Yuan, including 16,000 positions for which English is required, will have passed the elementary level of the General English Proficiency Test [GEPT], which means having basic ability in English and the ability to understand and use rudimentary language needed for daily office hours," said Chang Chun-yen (張俊彥), the chief of the agency.
■ Education
Cross-strait debate to begin
A three-day debating tournament between university students from both sides of the Taiwan Strait will begin on Sunday, with the participation of 12 teams, officials at the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. The event, to be held at the Chien Tan Overseas Youth Activity Center in Taipei, will be the largest exchange program between the youths of Taiwan and China to date, the officials noted. It is sponsored by the Chinese Development Fund, a non-profit organization created by the MAC to promote cross-strait civilian exchanges. Noting that this will be the first time such an event will take place in Taiwan, the MAC officials said they hope the exchanges between the youths of Taiwan and China will be strengthened through this event.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New