Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) yesterday said that the nation should discuss the benefits and drawbacks of developing nuclear energy rationally if Taiwanese want to avoid paying high prices for electricity and conserve energy.
Yeh made the comments when the ministry announced that April 23 has been designated Bookcrossing Day. The date is also when the World Book and Copyright Day set by UNESCO is celebrated.
The ministry aims to establish 108 stops at which people can share the books they have read with others. These stops would be placed at railway stations, airports, post offices, national scenic areas and agencies under the ministry’s purview.
Yeh donated two books, The Soft Power of Taiwan (台灣軟實力) and The Big Disaster (大災變), for the book-sharing station that has already been erected inside the ministry building.
“Both authors are good friends of mine and their books have inspired me. I feel it is my duty to share the knowledge I have gained from these books with others,” Yeh said. “Taiwanese should face the challenges ahead with kindness and courage.”
Yeh said that what he learned from The Soft Power of Taiwan is that the nation has many strengths that enable it to compete with other countries. The book’s subject matter is particularly relevant since the nation is currently divided on issues regarding the cross-strait service trade agreement, he added.
Regarding the debate over whether the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City, should be finished, Yeh said that The Big Disaster could help readers better understand the environment.
“Without nuclear energy and a stable supply of renewable energy, the electricity rate would be much higher than it is now, as was the case in Germany,” Yeh said.
“If Taiwanese are willing to pay more for electricity, then they should push to abandon nuclear energy altogether. However, if people neither want to pay more for electricity nor want to limit the nation’s energy consumption, then we should discuss the pros and cons of atomic power if we are to continue developing nuclear energy in a rational manner,” he said.
The ministry should reconsider its position on the promotion of the electric vehicles if the nation decides to stop building the fourth nuclear power plant, the minister added.
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
A firefighter yesterday died after falling into New Taipei City's Xindian River when a rescue dinghy capsized during a search mission for a man who was later found dead. The New Taipei City Fire Department said that it received a report at 4:12pm that a 50-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), had fallen into the river. A 32-year-old firefighter, surnamed Wu (吳), was among the rescuers deployed to look for Chen, the fire department said, adding that he and five other rescue personnel were in the dinghy when it capsized. Wu had no vital signs after being pulled from the water to the
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday welcomed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks that the organization’s cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners must be deepened to deter potential threats from China and Russia. Rutte on Wednesday in Berlin met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Germany’s accession to NATO. He told a post-meeting news conference that China is rapidly building up its armed forces, and the number of vessels in its navy outnumbers those of the US Navy. “They will have another 100 ships sailing by 2030. They now have 1,000 nuclear warheads,” Rutte said, adding that such
Organizing one national referendum and 26 recall elections targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators could cost NT$1.62 billion (US$55.38 million), the Central Election Commission said yesterday. The cost of each recall vote ranges from NT$16 million to NT$20 million, while that of a national referendum is NT$1.1 billion, the commission said. Based on the higher estimate of NT$20 million per recall vote, if all 26 confirmed recall votes against KMT legislators are taken into consideration, along with the national referendum on restarting the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, the total could be as much as NT$1.62 billion, it said. The commission previously announced
RSS