Members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday delivered an invitation to the Presidential Office in Taipei on behalf of KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) asking President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to engage in a debate with him on the importation of US pork containing ractopamine residue.
The invitation was delivered by KMT deputy secretary-general Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), KMT Institute of Revolutionary Practice director Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強), KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang (王育敏), and KMT legislators Chen I-hsin (陳以信) and Lee De-wei (李德維).
Since Tsai on Aug. 28 announced that Taiwan would allow imports of US pork containing the leanness-enhancing feed additive from Jan. 1, people have been deeply concerned, Wang said.
Photo: CNA
More than 50,000 people took to the streets of Taipei on Sunday to protest the policy, while a petition against pork containing ractopamine residue started by the Consumers’ Foundation had collected more than 150,000 signatures, she said.
She urged Tsai to accept Chiang’s invitation to join a televised debate on what she said was a major food safety issue.
Chiang while attending the annual “Autumn Struggle” (秋鬥) protest march on Sunday urged Tsai to agree to a televised debate.
As chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Tsai had asked then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to engage in a debate on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), Lee Yen-hsiu said, referring to a televised debate on April 25, 2010.
The ECFA debate was a model for democratic dialogue, she said.
The Tsai administration claims to be the “best at communicating” and “most humble,” she said, adding that Tsai should take part in the debate, communicate with the public and engage in dialogue with the chairman of the main opposition party.
Presidential Office Department of Public Affairs Director Kao Tsun (高遵) received the invitation from the KMT delegation.
Asked about the proposal, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that question-and-answer sessions at the Legislative Yuan are the “best debate.”
The KMT legislative caucus had previously invited Tsai to deliver a report on the policy to the Legislative Yuan, but the DPP legislative caucus rejected the request, Chiang said in response.
Additional reporting by Huang Hsin-po and CNA
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS