Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) yesterday said he has instructed government agencies to propose revisions to three major laws to better address the issue of sexual abuse and harassment, as allegations of sexual misconduct spread across the political field.
The three laws are: the Act of Gender Equality in Employment (性別工作平等法), the Gender Equality Education Act (性別平等教育法) and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法).
“No one wants to see sexual harassment occur, and proposed amendments would be ready at the start of the next legislative session [in September]. We hope to have the support of lawmakers across party lines to prevent further personal harm, assist the victims, safeguard them and protect their rights,” Chen said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
In the latest development, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chung Pei-chun (鍾沛君) on Thursday night accused media personality Lucifer Chu (朱學恒) of forcibly hugging and kissing her during a dinner gathering in Taipei in August last year.
She said as she had pursued the matter, Chu wrote an official apology two weeks later.
A political commentator, Chu is a popular YouTuber and frequent guest on political talk shows.
Chu yesterday said he had suspended his YouTube channel and that he would stop appearing in media and public events for the time being.
He apologized, but said he was too drunk at the time and had no memory of what happened that night.
Separately, New Power Party member Jerry Liu (劉仕傑) was accused by a former party staffer of grabbing her in a vehicle, forcibly kissing her and pulling her hand to touch his private parts.
NPP Chairwoman Claire Wang (王婉諭) issued a public apology yesterday, saying: “We are sorry we did not know about this and for allowing this deplorable person to participate in public affairs and giving him a platform for public discourse.”
The NPP later yesterday said it received a statement from Liu that he was withdrawing from the party.
As of press time last night, Liu had not responded to the accusations.
State-run Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute chairman and prominent film critic Lan Tsu-wei (藍祖蔚) on Thursday was also accused by Taiwan-based Korean Studies Academy CEO Rick Chu (朱立熙) of repeatedly sexually harassing female reporters.
Taipei City Councilor Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) of the KMT told a news conference yesterday that Lan, being a top figure in the film and cultural sector who is highly regarded and respected in society, must adhere to standards of morality and behavior.
Lan denied the allegations, but tendered his resignation, “because I don’t want to become cannon fodder in the political struggle.”
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS