Given the limited effect that law enforcement has had on cutting down drunk driving incidents, public and private officials yesterday called on the public to exercise self-restraint and join a global campaign to promote the concept of "designated drivers."
Popularly known as "Bob," the campaign originated in Belgium in 1995 and has since expanded to cover 17 EU member countries by 2005.
Global campaign
Taiwan joined the worldwide effort last June, with the city government, the National Police Agency and Taiwan Beverage Alcohol Forum, a civic group, promoting the concept.
"The movement promotes the concept of designating a sober driver, and urges people to exercise self-restraint to avoid driving when intoxicated," Chang Chin-kai (
Ho Kuo-jung (
Drunk driving rising
The number of drunk driving incidetns increased by 10,000 last year, and more than 700 were killed in such accidents despite the passage of tougher rules against drunk driving, Ho said.
"Tougher rules are not enough. Traffic safety requires people to follow traffic rules willingly, and the campaign to promote designated drivers will help cultivate this habit," Ho said.
New Year crackdown
While vowing to promote the concept in the city, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (
Besides family members or friends acting as designated drivers, the public can also call 0800-055850 or dial 055850 on their cellphones for publicly appointed drivers.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
NEW WORLD: Taiwan is pursuing innovative approaches to international relations through economics, trade and values-based diplomacy, the foreign minister said Taiwan would implement a “three-chain strategy” that promotes democratic values in response to US tariffs, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said. Taiwan would aim to create a “global democratic value chain,” seek to capitalize on its position within the first island chain and promote a “non-red supply chain,” Lin was quoted as saying in the ministry’s written report to the Legislative Yuan submitted ahead of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting slated for today. The Ministry would also uphold a spirit of mutual beneficial collaboration, maintaining close communication and consultations with Washington to show that Taiwan-US cooperation
RSS