The Executive Yuan’s proposals on the founding of semiconductor research academies at local universities, the establishment of a new digital development ministry and a space development bill would be the priorities for the new legislative session starting today.
A draft amendment to the organic act for a digital development ministry, proposed changes to the Culture and Arts Reward Act (文化藝術獎助條例) and a draft bill on developing key national industries are also to be introduced.
The draft act on developing key national industries aims to provide a legal basis to establish a “semiconductor academy” at top universities that would produce 400 graduates with a master’s or doctorate degree in relevant fields of study.
The draft amendment to the organic act for the ministry of digital development is more controversial and the Executive Yuan hopes to discuss the proposal with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus before submitting it to the legislature, the Executive said.
The Executive Yuan also hopes that the Legislative Yuan would prioritize the draft amendment to the Commodity Tax Act (貨物稅條例) and the draft space development act for review.
“We hope that all proposed draft bills and amendments will be fast-tracked by the Legislative Yuan,” Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said.
Lo also urged ministries to work with the legislative caucuses to obtain their support.
Separately, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) is expected to appear at the Legislative Yuan today to report on the special fund project for the hog industry, as well as the import of vaccines for COVID-19.
The proposed NT$13 billion (US$460 million) special fund would be used to guarantee hog farmers’ benefits, subsidize an increased premium payout for pigs dying; strategically expand Taiwan’s pork exports; promote the modernization of slaughterhouses; subsidize the modernization of hog farm facilities; step up inspections of imported pork for ractopamine, and labeling and promoting the use of local pork at restaurants.
Eight restaurants in Taiwan yesterday secured a one-star rating from the Michelin Guide Taiwan for the first time, while three one-star restaurants from last year’s edition were promoted to two stars. Forty-three restaurants were awarded one star this year, including 34 in Taipei, five in Taichung and four in Kaohsiung. Hosu (好嶼), Chuan Ya (川雅), Sushi Kajin (鮨嘉仁), aMaze (心宴), La Vie by Thomas Buhner, Yuan Yi (元一) and Frassi in Taipei and Front House (方蒔) in Kaohsiung received a one-star rating for the first time. Hosu is known for innovative Taiwanese dishes, while Chuan Ya serves Sichuan cuisine and aMaze specializes
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) plans to ease strained capacity during peak hours by introducing new fare rules restricting passengers traveling without reserved seats in 2026, company Chairman Shih Che (史哲) said Wednesday. THSRC needs to tackle its capacity issue because there have been several occasions where passengers holding tickets with reserved seats did not make it onto their train in stations packed with individuals traveling without a reserved seat, Shih told reporters in a joint interview in Taipei. Non-reserved seats allow travelers maximum flexibility, but it has led to issues relating to quality of service and safety concerns, especially during
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Chiayi County at 4:37pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 36.3km southeast of Chiayi County Hall at a depth of 10.4km, CWA data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Chiayi County, Tainan and Kaohsiung on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien, Changhua, Nantou and Penghu counties, the data
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