The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee yesterday voted to unfreeze this year’s budget for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the National Development Council (NDC).
The committee examined and discussed the proposals before deciding to unfreeze NT$9 billion (US$300 million) of the economic ministry’s budget, including NT$2.3 billion for science and technology projects and NT$2.3 billion for subsidies to the Petroleum Fund and Energy Fund.
About NT$430 million was also unfrozen from the NDC’s budget.
Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times
The decisions are to be transferred to a full session of the Legislative Yuan for approval.
The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of this year’s central government budget on Jan. 21, freezing the operating expenses of the ministry by 10 to 50 percent and of the council by 30 percent.
Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) and NDC Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey (高仙桂), who were present at the meeting, expressed their gratitude to lawmakers, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh I-feng (謝衣鳯) and Democratic Progressive Party legislators Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) and Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩).
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS