The Executive Yuan yesterday nominated National Communications Commission (NCC) Acting Chairman Chen Yaw-shyang (陳耀祥) as its new chairman and former NCC vice chairman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) to return to his previous post.
The Cabinet also nominated three new commissioners: NCC Chief Secretary Hsiao Chi-hung (蕭祈宏), National Taiwan University Graduate Institute of Journalism professor Lin Lihyun (林麗雲) and National Taiwan Normal University Graduate Institute of Mass Communications professor Wang Wei-ching (王維菁).
The Cabinet said that it considered various factors in choosing nominees, such as gender equality, political party affiliation, experience, bringing in outside voices and ensuring that commissioners serve staggered terms.
Except Hsiao, whose term would last from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2022, the remaining four commissioners would serve from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2024, if confirmed it said.
All nominees are qualified based on the National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法), as they have extensive experience in law, telecommunications or mass communications, the Cabinet said.
“We hope that the Legislative Yuan will quickly review their qualifications and confirm their appointments, so that the commission can continue to operate,” it added.
A source familiar with the matter said that the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee could start reviewing the appointments in the second half of this month, as the nomination process requires a 10-day public notice period.
Chen has been the agency’s acting chairman since May last year after former NCC chairwoman Nicole Chan (詹婷宜) and Wong, who briefly served as acting chairman after Chan, resigned.
Chan stepped down after she was criticized by the Cabinet for failing to curb the spread of misinformation before the nine-in-one election in November 2018, where the ruling Democratic Progressive Party suffered major setbacks.
Lin, who was an outspoken critic during the nation’s 2012 to 2013 media anti-monopolization movement, specializes in issues related to the concentration of media ownership.
Wong and Hsiao have handled telecommunications matters since working in the Directorate General of Telecommunications, which in 2006 became part of the NCC.
This is the first time that the Executive Yuan has nominated two NCC commissioners who have served as telecommunication officials.
Industry observers said the move signaled the direction the government was taking, particularly after a 5G spectrum auction earlier this year.
Wong and Hsiao understand telecoms and are on amicable terms with them, they said, adding that communication between the commission and telecoms are expected to be efficient and productive.
ANOTHER EMERGES: The CWA yesterday said this year’s fourth storm of the typhoon season had formed in the South China Sea, but was not expected to affect Taiwan Tropical Storm Gaemi has intensified slightly as it heads toward Taiwan, where it is expected to affect the country in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 8am yesterday, the 120km-radius storm was 800km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at 9kph northwest, the agency said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued tonight at the earliest, it said, adding that the storm is projected to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday. Gaemi’s potential effect on Taiwan remains unclear, as that would depend on its direction, radius and intensity, forecasters said. Former Weather Forecast
As COVID-19 cases in Japan have been increasing for 10 consecutive weeks, people should get vaccinated before visiting the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said. The centers reported 773 hospitalizations and 124 deaths related to COVID-19 in Taiwan last week. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) on Tuesday said the number of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Japan has been increasing since mid-May and surpassed 55,000 cases from July 8 to July 14. The average number of COVID-19 patients at Japan’s healthcare facilities that week was also 1.39 times that of the week before and KP.3 is the dominant
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) working group for Taiwan-related policies is likely to be upgraded to a committee-level body, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is increasingly likely to upgrade the CCP’s Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Taiwanese authorities should prepare by researching Xi and the CCP, the report said. At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, which ended on Thursday last week, the party set a target of 2029 for the completion of some tasks, meaning that Xi is likely preparing to
US-CHINA TRADE DISPUTE: Despite Beijing’s offer of preferential treatment, the lure of China has dimmed as Taiwanese and international investors move out Japan and the US have become the favored destinations for Taiwanese graduates as China’s attraction has waned over the years, the Ministry of Labor said. According to the ministry’s latest income and employment advisory published this month, 3,215 Taiwanese university graduates from the class of 2020 went to Japan, surpassing for the first time the 2,881 graduates who went to China. A total of 2,300 graduates from the class of 2021 went to the US, compared with the 2,262 who went to China, the document showed. The trend continued for the class of 2023, of whom 1,460 went to Japan, 1,334 went to