Work is under way on amendments to the Act for the Establishment of the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (國家中山科學研究院設置條例) that would extend travel restrictions for military personnel to Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology employees, a source said on Tuesday.
As the institute in 2014 became a private entity, it is no longer under the direct control of the Ministry of National Defense. The transition removed all travel restrictions for the institute’s employees, who are no longer considered military personnel.
However, any employees who want to travel abroad must obtain approval from the institute.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) had previously expressed concern that the arrangement posed a potential loophole in information and national security, saying that there were 15 incidents of institute employees with access to classified information transiting through Hong Kong from May to October last year and another 10 incidents from October to February.
At a legislative question-and-answer session early last month, Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) said that the ministry would propose amendments to the act to close the loophole.
Under the amendments, institute employees entering or departing the nation would have to follow the same regulations as military personnel, with the authority to approve requests to travel abroad elevated from the institute to the ministry, the source said.
Institute staff with clearance to access classified information would also be prohibited from traveling to China, Hong Kong and Macau for three years from the day they resign or are removed from a position that grants them the clearance, the source said.
The ministry said that it is in the process of drafting the regulations into amendments, which would grant it a legal basis for enforcement.
Talks continue on the details and method of implementation, it said.
The institute said that it would comply with the regulations.
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
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he