Re-elected Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (
Hu, who looked quite healthy despite reports that he suffered a stroke on a trip to the US in August 2002, made the remarks when asked to comment on the penalties meted out to the 12 doctors by the Medical Doctor Disciplinary Committee under the Taichung City Government's health authorities on Wednesday.
One of the doctors -- Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Peter Lin (林進興), who played a leading role in disclosing what he claimed were Hu's medical records at a news conference in Taichung -- received the harshest punishment, with his licence to practice medicine suspended for one year.
Another was banned from practicing medicine for one month and ordered to attend 32 hours of classes on medical ethics. The others were given warnings and must attend mandatory classes on medical ethics totalling between eight and 24 hours.
Hu, of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said he respects the rulings by the city government's health authorities, adding that he had not interfered in their decisions in any way.
Hu said that the outcome is not yet final, because health authorities at a higher level might still have a say on the issue. He said he will not rule out any possibility, and will wait for the final result before deciding whether it is necessary to sue the 12 doctors.
Meanwhile, the KMT legislative caucus urged Lin to withdraw from the legislature's Sanitation, Environment and Social Welfare Committee to avoid a conflict of interest.
Caucus whips noted that Lin has another case pending against him. In October the Bureau of National Health Insurance said that his hospital used forged records of overnight patients to get reimbursements from the bureau.
Asked to comment on the dispute over the ruling by Taichung's health authorities, a spokesman for the Department of Health (DOH) said Kaohsiung City's health authority will have to either enforce the ruling or hold a hearing of its own to let Lin defend himself.
The spokesman also said that Lin can appeal to the DOH's disciplinary committee within 20 days. If the DOH upholds the ruling, he will be banned from practicing medicine for one year.
US President Donald Trump said "it’s up to" Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) what China does on Taiwan, but that he would be "very unhappy" with a change in the "status quo," the New York Times said in an interview published yesterday. Xi "considers it to be a part of China, and that’s up to him what he’s going to be doing," Trump told the newspaper on Wednesday. "But I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that," he added. "I hope he doesn’t do that." Trump made the comments in
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
A cold surge advisory was today issued for 18 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures of below 10°C forecast during the day and into tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu, Miaoli and Yilan counties are expected to experience sustained temperatures of 10°C or lower, the CWA said. Temperatures are likely to temporarily drop below 10°C in most other areas, except Taitung, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, CWA data showed. The cold weather is being caused by a strong continental cold air mass, combined with radiative cooling, a process in which heat escapes from
Snow this morning fell on Alishan for the first time in seven years, as a strong continental cold air mass sent temperatures plunging across Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The Alishan weather station, located at an elevation of about 2,200m in central Taiwan, recorded snowfall from 8:55am to 9:15am, when the temperature dropped to about 1°C, the CWA said. With increased moisture and low temperatures in the high-altitude Alishan area, the conditions were favorable for snow, CWA forecaster Tsai Yi-chi (蔡伊其) said. The last time snow fell at the Alishan weather station was on Jan. 10, 2018, while graupel fell there
RSS