The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Friday announced that local governments administered by KMT members would introduce measures to jointly promote local tourist attractions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The party had called on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to issue cash handouts to people affected by the virus instead of coupons as part of its pandemic relief and recovery plan. However, the government rejected the idea.
Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) on Wednesday said that the government would issue stimulus coupons to the public in July to boost the economy, adding that the government would announce further details and a timetable next month.
Rather than waiting for the economic recovery policy, which the central government said it would launch next month and in July, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said on Facebook that local governments administered by the KMT would take the initiative by introducing measures to stimulate local tourism.
The KMT controls 15 of the nation’s 22 cities and counties, while the DPP holds six.
The governments of New Taipei City and Kinmen County have already launched a joint tourism campaign, Chiang wrote.
New Taipei City has a long coastline totaling 145km, while Kinmen County, known for its kaoliang liquor products, is calling on people to experience offshore travel at a time when overseas trips are not allowed due to the pandemic, he wrote.
The county also welcomes family trips and visits to Dadan Island (大膽島), he wrote, adding that local governments have taken disease prevention measures.
The joint campaign has received positive responses from other municipality heads, KMT spokesman Chen Wei-chieh (陳偉杰) said.
The KMT would next promote other tourism campaigns by connecting Taichung and Kaohsiung, as well as Hsinchu, Nantou, Chiayi and Yilan counties, which are governed by the party, he said.
As the nation’s disease situation is easing, the KMT hopes to stimulate local tourism and the economy through the joint campaigns, especially when many schools are planning graduation trips, he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association