Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday temporarily obstructed Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) from giving what is likely to be his last policy report to the legislature in protest at the Cabinet’s handling of food safety issues.
The premier eventually delivered his report after a spat between caucuses about how and when Chen should deliver a special report on food safety.
The KMT wanted the premier to make the special report yesterday, while the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) said that the legislature should hold an internal meeting on the issue today and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) proposed Friday.
Photo: CNA
As they could not agree, proceedings defaulted to Chen delivering a general policy address and answering legislators’ questions, as they had agreed on Monday.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) called for the premier to deliver the address at 10:27am, but KMT legislators swarmed the podium to block Chen from taking his place, chanting the slogan: “We want food safety for our children; legislative reforms for the truth.”
They were referring to the discovery by Taichung health officials earlier this month of 0.002 parts per million of the banned additive cimbuterol in frozen pork supplied by state-run Taiwan Sugar Corp.
The DPP urged KMT legislators to “cease posturing” and let the proceedings move forward, adding the same call after Han called for a brief 10-minute recess.
Legislators from both parties traded barbs, with KMT lawmakers insisting that Chen issue a public apology, while DPP lawmakers said that Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) of the KMT should do the same.
Chen finally took the podium about 40 minutes after the scheduled start, after Han has asked all legislators to return to their seats, and urging them to maintain order and debate rationally.
In his report, Chen said that the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) over eight years had abided by its promise not to provoke China, adding that Taiwan continues to work with other democratic nations and has proved that it is a trustworthy partner in terms of geopolitics, international supply chains and international law enforcement.
Financially, the government has seen average economic growth rise to 3.2 percent, while average GDP growth went from NT$1.76 trillion (US$55.9 billion) in 2016 to NT$2.3 trillion last year, Chen said, adding that as of the end of last month, the government’s debt burden ratio has dropped to 26:1.
The administration has increased defense spending to a record high of NT$600.7 billion, with multiple ships poised for delivery and the nation’s Indigenous Submarine Building program delivering a prototype of the Hai Kun (海鯤) submarine, which is expected to be delivered to the navy next year, Chen said.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin
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