Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) is scheduled to give an oral administrative report to the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday when the legislature begins its new session.
This will be Su's first report to the legislature since assuming his post on Jan. 25.
A copy of Su's administrative report for this year has already been sent to the legislature Friday. In an attempt to avoid distorted news coverage of his administrative policies, detailed information of the report was also sent to the press ahead of Tuesday's presentation.
Since taking office, Su has seemed to take to heart the saying "actions speak louder than words," at least as far as media policy.
Usually, incoming premiers meet the press within the first week or so in office and accept interview invitations from various news outlets. But Su and his deputy Tsai Ing-wen (
Su's report contains few surprises or bold new initiatives. Perhaps most noteworthy is Su's request that his fellow government officials make public their personal assets to avoid any potential bribery allegations -- an apparent effort to bolster the Democratic Progressive Party government's image, which has been tainted by several corruption scandals.
According to the written administrative report, Su will basically follow former premier Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) policies in the interior and homeland security portfolios, proceeding with the issuing of newly-designed photo identification cards. The government will also emphasize the importance of rescue mechanisms for potential natural disasters and prevention of environmental pollution.
For foreign affairs, the report said Taiwan will work to increase contacts and communications with more foreign states, and push on with Taiwan's bids to participate in international bodies.
Regarding cross-strait relations, the report said that it will follow President Chen Shui-bian's (
The government will continue to press the legislature to approve its plan to buy submarines, Patriot anti-missile batteries and anti-submarine P-3C helicopters from the US. It will also work to replace current military service mechanisms with more career and professional military personnel, and any project or research on developing military weapons will be encouraged and supported, according to the report.
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The cosponsors of a new US sanctions package targeting Russia on Thursday briefed European allies and Ukraine on the legislation and said the legislation would also have a deterrent effect on China and curb its ambitions regarding Taiwan. The bill backed by US senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal calls for a 500 percent tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports — targeting nations such as China and India, which account for about 70 percent of Russia’s energy trade, the bankroll of much of its war effort. Graham and Blumenthal told The Associated Press
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