Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) is to meet with local government heads of Taipei, New Taipei City (新北市) and Keelung today to discuss the controversial construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District amid growing opposition against the plant from within the pan-blue camp.
The meeting was arranged shortly after Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) voiced concern over the safety of the power plant and said that he would vote to support suspension of the plant’s construction if there was to be referendum held now.
As the three local government heads in the cities that are closest to the power plant, Hau, New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Keelung Mayor Chang Tong-rong (張通榮) are to meet with Jiang today to exchange ideas about the controversial power plant and nuclear power issues.
His opposition to the construction of the plant has not changed, and his stance will remain the same unless new information proves the safety of the plant, Hau said yesterday.
“Most Taipei residents share the same concern about the safety of the plant, and the information available now shows that the plant, after undergoing construction suspension and a change of plans, doesn’t look safe,” he said.
He urged state-run Taiwan Power Co to provide more relevant information and invite foreign experts to make a thorough inspection of the plant. He added that he would express the people of Taipei’s concern about the plant’s safety during today’s meeting.
The Executive Yuan said that the government’s plan to determine whether to halt the construction of the plant via a national referendum remained the same, and the premier would listen to opinions from the three mayors and exchange ideas on the issue.
Chu agreed that the real question should be whether the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant can operate safely, and said that today’s meeting aims to address that issue.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators