Taiwan must carry out constitutional reforms as soon as possible to adjust its system of government in order to enhance government efficiency, a Taiwanese academic said in the US on Friday.
Chen Ming-tong (陳明通), a professor at National Taiwan University's Graduate Institute of National Development, made the remarks while delivering a speech to the Silicon Valley chapter of the Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace.
According to Chen, the confusing system of government adopted by Taiwan is the biggest predicament faced by the country, and unless the system is changed through constitutional reform -- preferably by the end of next year, the new administration to be formed in 2008 will have difficulty functioning.
If the system of government was adjusted to become a purely parliamentary system or a presidential system, it will help resolve the current problem in which the implementation of government policies are constantly blocked by the opposition, with the delay of the arms procurement package from the US being the most obvious example, Chen said.
Chen claimed that judging from the performances of modern democratic countries in terms of their efficiency in governance and political cleanliness, those practicing the parliamentary system are better than those that have adopted the presidential system.
Indicating a personal preference for the parliamentary system, Chen said that if the Constitution was amended to change Taiwan's system of government to a parliamentary one, the majority party in the legislature would form the Cabinet to ensure smooth implementation of the Cabinet's policies.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
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PROXIMITY: Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location, the Executive Yuan official said Taiwan plans to boost cooperation with the Czech Republic in semiconductor development due to Prague’s pivotal role in the European IC industry, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) building a wafer fab in the German city of Dresden, a Germany-Czech Republic-Poland “silicon triangle” is forming, Kung said in a media interview on the weekend after returning from a visit to Prague. “Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location,” he said. “Taiwan and Prague have already launched direct flights and it is
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