The ministry of digital development might not have all of its staff members in place when it opens in July after the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus filed for a reconsideration of an amendment to the National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法).
The amendment, passed on Tuesday last week, is the legal basis for the transfer of some departments at the National Communications Commission (NCC) to the new ministry.
The KMT caucus proposed reconsidering the bill after expressing concern that the NCC’s draft digital communications act, which would regulate multinational online platforms, could suppress freedom of expression.
The caucus’ unexpected move has prevented the amendment from taking effect and disrupted progress on the establishment of the digital development ministry.
Following an emergency meeting with Cabinet officials, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus said that it would not put the proposal to a vote.
If the DPP put the proposal to a vote, the KMT would likely file reconsiderations on more important bills that were passed last week, including the central government’s general budget and a special budget for the military, a legislative expert said.
A government source said that the establishment of the digital development ministry requires a transfer of personnel and resources from at least five government agencies: the NCC, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the National Development Council, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Executive Yuan’s information and communication security department.
Given the changes, the ministry would not begin operations until July, and NCC personnel and resources would not be in place when it opens due to the KMT’s “legislative roadblock,” they said.
The ministry would also be tasked with overseeing government information security, digital services and data management, as well as aiding the development of industries related to the digital economy, the Executive Yuan said.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday bestowed one of Taiwan’s highest honors on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman in recognition of her contributions to bilateral ties. “By conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on Ambassador Bowman today, I want to sincerely thank her, on behalf of the Taiwanese people, for her outstanding contribution to deepening diplomatic ties between Taiwan and SVG,” Lai said at a ceremony held at the Presidential Office in Taipei. He noted that Bowman became SVG’s first ambassador to Taiwan in 2019 and
A man walks past elementary school artworks at the Taipei Lantern Festival in Ximen District yesterday, the first day of the event. The festival is to run from 5pm to 10pm through March 15.
RSS