Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday lauded the party’s obstruction of legislative proceedings on Tuesday in a protest against the government’s stance on imports of US pork containing ractopamine and Taiwanese fishermen’s rights, saying such actions were meant to safeguard public health rather than to promote political strife.
“I would like to first express my gratitude to all KMT lawmakers inside the legislature and party members outside for their courageous performances... By uniting together we will surely deliver more stellar performances in the future,” Hung said.
Expressing hope that the party could demonstrate more stamina, Hung said the collaboration between KMT caucus whip Lin Te-fu (林德福) and KMT Central Policy Committee chief executive director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) over the mission to obstruct proceedings had restored the public’s confidence in the party.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
“The KMT will forever stand alongside the public,” Hung said, adding that the party’s actions were not designed to aggravate divisions and political struggle, but rather were part of its efforts to defend the public’s interests and welfare.
Hung made the remarks yesterday afternoon at a meeting of the KMT’s Central Standing Committee in Taipei, where Lin was invited to deliver a report on the party caucus’ activities on Tuesday and its future plans.
The KMT caucus on Tuesday occupied podiums in the legislature to disrupt a presentation scheduled to be delivered by Premier Lin Chuan (林全), demanding that the premier sign an affidavit pledging not to allow imports of US pork containing ractopamine or products manufactured in five Japanese prefectures affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011, as well as to safeguard the rights of Taiwanese fishermen operating in disputed waters near the Okinotori atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
The action was coupled with a demonstration outside the legislature staged by hundreds of protesters who denounced the Democratic Progressive Party for its purported flip-flop on the imports of US pork containing ractopamine and its stance toward Japan on fishermen’s rights.
During yesterday’s meeting, the KMT released the results of an internal poll that showed 62.1 percent of respondents found it unacceptable that the DPP should shift its stance from opposition to the use of ractopamine to an inclination to open the nation’s doors to US pork containing residues of the leanness enhancing feed additive.
Nearly 64 percent of the 1,071 people who were polled opposed any quid-pro-quo deals concerning imports of US pork, while 22.6 percent were in favor.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS