New identification (ID) cards for Taiwanese citizens will be issued on Wednesday. The question now is whether political leaders will have to pick up their cards in person.
Deputy Interior Minister Chien Tai-lang (
He also said that out of respect for the nation's leaders, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) would probably be given the choice of having their ID cards delivered to their homes or picking them up in person, while all others should pick up their cards in person.
He said, however, that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) could do nothing but respect the decision of the local household-registration authorities, if they require that Chen and Lu pick up their ID cards in person.
Chien said that ministers and deputy ministers would have to pick up their cards themselves.
The reason that ID cards must be picked up in person is that the authorities must be able to verify that the card has been issued to the right person.
The MOI yesterday also denied media reports according to which Sun Yueh (孫越), a popular actor-turned-volunteer, will receive the first new ID card.
To mark the issuance of the new ID cards, the ministry will hold a ceremony at the Taan District's population administrat-ion office on Wednesday.
Nearly 19 million of the new ID cards will be handed out before the deadline set for Dec. 31 next year.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday held a ceremony marking the delivery of its 11th Anping-class offshore patrol vessel Lanyu (蘭嶼艦), saying it would boost Taiwan’s ability to respond to Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics. Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chang Chung-Lung (張忠龍) presided over the CGA event in the Port of Kaoshiung. Representatives of the National Security Council also attended the event. Designed for long-range and protracted patrol operations at sea, the Lanyu is a 65.4m-long and 14.8m-wide ship with a top speed of 44 knots (81.5kph) and a cruising range of 2,000 nautical miles (3704km). The vessel is equipped with a
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