Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator-elect Fu Kun-chi yesterday reiterated his intention to run for legislative speaker.
At a press conference in Hualien County’s Jian Township (吉安) yesterday, Fu outlined his platform based on various reforms, including enhancing functions of legislative committees, transparency in operating budgets and for legislators to be given the power to issue subpoenas in conducting investigations.
The announcement by Fu, a former Hualien County commissioner, runs counter to his party, as KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) has already given backing to KMT nominees Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) to run for legislative speaker and deputy speaker positions respectively.
At a banquet last night, Han called for party unity and asked for support for his run for the speakership.
Voting is scheduled for Feb. 1, the first day of the new legislature.
In the Jan. 13 legislative elections, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secured 51 seats in the 113-seat legislature, the KMT 52 and the Taiwan People’s Party eight. Another two seats were won by independents aligned with the KMT.
Meanwhile, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun of the DPP, in an effort to retain his speaker’s position, extolled his forging of new relations with foreign countries’ parliaments.
He said yesterday that the speaker plays a vital role in Taiwan’s diplomatic relations, but if the new speaker has a pro-China stance and has personal links to Beijing, then it would be difficult for the legislature to engage properly in foreign affairs.
Separately, DPP Hualien County Councilor Hu Jen-shun (胡仁順) yesterday criticized Fu, saying he “should try to reform himself first.”
Hu said that when Fu was a county commissioner and faced criticism from county councilors over his policies, Fu would use government resources and media to conduct smear campaigns and freeze project funds that were requested by councilors for local constituencies.
Additional reporting by Wang Chin-yi and Chiang Chih-hsiung
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
RSS