Wang Cheng-hsu (王正旭) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took the oath of office as a legislator-at-large yesterday, filling a vacancy left by former legislative speaker You Si-kun (游錫?), who quit after he lost the vote earlier this month to retain the position.
Wang, chairman of the Hope Foundation for Cancer Care, was listed in 13th place on the DPP’s legislator-at-large register, which meant he was the first pick for the party after You resigned following his loss to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) in the Feb. 1 vote for speaker of the legislature.
Wang was sworn in a ceremony presided over by Constitutional Court Justice Tsai Tzung-jen (蔡宗珍) and witnessed by Han, Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), the DPP and the KMT caucus whips, and former DPP legislator Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源).
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
Wang said he is ready to help advance healthcare in Taiwan, in line with president-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) plans to build a healthier society.
Wang said he hoped that he would serve on the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee to help achieve that goal.
Chiu, who serves as honorary president of the Taiwan Medical Association, said there is still much room for improvement in Taiwan’s medical sector, and it has been striving for a long time to provide better healthcare to the public.
Wang has the qualifications, professional expertise and experience to help in that regard, Chiu said, adding that the medical community fully supports the selection of Wang as a legislator.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
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