National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Chiou I-jen's (
Chiou told a news conference on Thursday that the nation's first NSSR, scheduled to be published in full today, should be regarded as the Cabinet's policy guidelines and should be carried out despite a recent Cabinet reshuffle.
The news conference was held following a National Security Council meeting chaired by President Chen Shui-bian (
"Chiou's remarks would only make the nation's regime degenerate into a state of chaos," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Pan Wei-kang (
"If the NSC can give policy instructions to the Cabinet, the presidential office will have power without responsibility, while the Cabinet will have responsibility without power," she said.
People First Party caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said he was concerned that the NSC would become the "father of the emperor," or the nation's supreme ruler.
Chiou said on Thursday that the report was "legally-binding" in line with the National Security Council Organization Law.
Responding to Chiou, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Cho-shui (
"Since the role of the NSC is to be the president's advisory organ, the report it sponsored shouldn't be a legally enforceable report, but rather only exist for the president's reference," Lin said.
He added that "in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution, only bills passed by the legislature, constitutional interpretations issued by grand justices, and emergency measures declared by the president," must be followed by the Cabinet.
Premier Su Tsang-chang (
"The presidential office and the Cabinet have been acting in harmony in dealing with the nation's policies," he said.
"The presidential office produces plans and guidelines, while the Cabinet frames the measures to enable them come into effect," Su said while addressing an anti-drug event held by the Ministry of Justice yesterday.
Meanwhile, the NSC issued a statement yesterday to clarify Chiou's remarks. The statement said Chiou made a verbal slip in saying that "the report is legally enforceable," because in fact the report does not have the same status as law.
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
Rallies supporting recall efforts targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers as well as a rally organized by the KMT opposing the recall campaigns are to take place in Taipei today. Traffic controls were in place on Taipei City Hall Road starting from 10pm last night, and would be in place on Jinan Road Sec 1 from 8am today, police said. Recall campaign groups in Taipei and New Taipei City advocating the recall of KMT legislators, along with the “Safeguard Taiwan Anti-Communist Alliance” have announced plans for motorcycle parades and public rallies in both cities today. Permission has been granted for campaigners to hold
M1A2T ABRAMS TANKS: Thirty-eight of the 108 armored vehicles were delivered in December last year, with the rest to be delivered between later this year and next year The military is to live stream a round of live-fire training sessions on Thursday featuring its newly delivered M1A2T Abrams tanks, allowing the public to witness the training results firsthand, the Ministry of National Defense said. Based on the ministry’s plan, the live-fire training session, scheduled to take place at an army tank training ground in the Kengzihkou (坑子口) area of Hsinchu County, is to feature the US-made armored vehicles firing their 120mm smoothbore guns at moving and stationary targets, while stationary or in motion. At least one senior government official is expected to preside over the round of training sessions, per
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