POLITICS
Chen Pei-yu enters legislature
Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜), a promoter of children’s reading, is to fill a legislative seat vacated by Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), who has been appointed to head the Ocean Affairs Council, the Central Election Commission said. Kuan, who was sworn in as a member of new Premier Chen Chien-jen’s (陳建仁) Cabinet on Tuesday, held an at-large seat representing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen is to serve the remainder of the legislative term until Jan. 31, next year, the commission said. Control Yuan member Chang Chu-fang (張菊芳) was next in line on the DPP’s legislator-at-large succession list, but Chang decided to keep her position. Her term ends in 2026.
AVIATION
Matsuyama flights resume
A charter flight carrying 179 Japanese tourists arrived at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) from Matsuyama Airport on Saturday evening, marking the resumption of passenger services between the two airports after nearly three years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The travel industry is seeking to benefit from the resumption of international travel, after Taiwan reopened its borders to foreign tourists. The borders had been closed in March 2020 to prevent a domestic outbreak of COVID-19. An annual report on foreign visitors by the Tourism Bureau in 2019 said that Japanese members of group tours on average spent US$303.12 in Taiwan, leading the rankings of foreign travelers. Charter flights between the two airports were launched in 2013, and the operator promoted them based on Songshan and Matsuyama being written with the same Chinese characters. Until the pandemic hiatus, there were also flights between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Matsuyama.
LOTTERY
Fifteen people win NT$10m
Fifteen receipts issued in November or December last year each won the NT$10 million (US$334,448) special prize in the invoice lottery, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday. Three of the 15 receipts with the winning number 28089459 were issued at 7-Eleven convenience stores, including one issued for a NT$39 drink, and another for a NT$13 bill payment charge. Other NT$10 million winners included a person who spent NT$81 on chocolate and other items at a Hi-Life convenience store in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音), the ministry said. FamilyMart convenient stores issued two NT$10 million winning receipts, both for purchases of less than NT$60, in Taichung’s East District (東區) and Taoyuan’s Luzhu District (路竹). Meanwhile, 7-Eleven stores issued two of the 14 receipts with the NT$2 million grand prize-winning number 30660303, it said.
ENVIRONMENT
Hualien commissions e-bikes
Hualien County’s 177 borough and village wardens have received electric bikes for official use as a part of a local drive to contribute to the national goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2025, the Hualien Environmental Protection Bureau said on Saturday. Replacing the wardens’ combustion engine bikes would save 408 tonnes of carbon emissions through the service life of the vehicles, it said. The project would reduce the county’s emissions of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers by 0.22 tonnes and 3.4 tonnes per year, it added. Hualien also provides residents a subsidy of up to NT$22,800 for every electric bike purchased to replace a motorbike in a bid to encourage electric vehicle ownership, it said.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
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