The Legislative Yuan today passed the third and final reading of an NT$550 billion (US$17.93 billion) special budget act to counter the effects of US tariffs, including universal cash handouts of NT$10,000.
President William Lai (賴清德) is expected to promulgate the bill next week, Minister of Finance Chuang Tsui-yun (莊翠雲) said yesterday.
The Ministry of Finance said that it would convene a news conference on the same day to announce specific details regarding the cash handouts.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Foreign nationals with permanent residency or those married to Taiwanese would be eligible for the handouts, the Executive Yuan said previously.
Distribution is expected to begin at the start of next month via five methods: direct bank transfer, registered transfer, ATM withdrawal, post office withdrawal and a roster-based distribution system, the ministry said.
The final budget for the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例) was reduced by NT$5.298 billion today following adjustments proposed by the opposition parties.
The Executive Yuan approved the special budget on Sept. 11, totaling NT$550 billion, including NT$236 billion for cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds expected to be used to support industry.
A joint review by six legislative committees passed the special budget on Thursday last week and submitted it for cross-party negotiations.
The parties reached a consensus on Tuesday in a plenary session and agreed to pass the third reading today.
Today’s legislative session introduced budget adjustments, including a Taiwan People’s Party proposal to cut the budget for media policy and outreach by NT$20 million, with an additional NT$4 million frozen.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) also proposed freezing NT$100 million from the National Health Insurance Fund.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) continues to support strengthening marine patrols and disaster prevention and response efforts, DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said, urging opposition parties not to let party differences undermine public interest.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
RSS