Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said he might seek to abolish the Control Yuan as he vowed to continue his boycott of Tainan City Council meetings, despite facing possible censure by the Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission after the Control Yuan’s decision to impeach him.
Lai, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has not attended Tainan City Council meetings since he was sworn in as mayor in December last year, saying he would not do so until a case involving Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Tainan City Council Speaker Lee Chuan-chiao (李全教) is resolved.
A first-round court found Lee guilty of giving money to councilors in exchange for support in last year’s speakership election, but he has appealed the decision.
Photo: CNA
Earlier this month, the Control Yuan impeached Lai, referring him to the commission for disciplinary action, which could include revocation of his role as mayor.
“If the commission decides to issue further sanctions, I will file a lawsuit to abolish the Control Yuan to defend my rights and constitutional principles, as well as not allowing the Control Yuan to illegally expand its power,” Lai said.
“Society has already reached a consensus to abolish the Control Yuan, because it is not only against constitutional principles, but has also become a tool for political manipulation,” he said. “It should be abolished for the nation’s sake and societal stability.”
If the commission asks him to explain himself, he would not attend a summons, Lai said, adding that he would reply in writing, because he is busy handling municipal affairs.
The DPP’s Central Standing Committee yesterday passed a resolution to push for a revision of the Local Government Act (地方制度法), requiring councilors to include their names on ballots when voting for speakership and deputy-speakership roles, Lai said, adding that a speaker or deputy speaker should be suspended if they are found guilty in a first-round trial.
“The measure is meant as the first step to clear the influence of black money in local politics,” Lai said. “I believe that, if implemented, the rule would help keep local politics clean."
GEARING UP: An invasion would be difficult and would strain China’s forces, but it has conducted large-scale training supporting an invasion scenario, the report said China increased its military pressure on Taiwan last year and took other steps in preparation for a potential invasion, an annual report published by the US Department of Defense on Wednesday showed. “Throughout 2023, Beijing continued to erode longstanding norms in and around Taiwan by employing a range of pressure tactics against Taiwan,” the report said, which is titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China (PRC) 2024.” The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) “is preparing for a contingency to unify Taiwan with the PRC by force, if perceived as necessary by Beijing, while simultaneously deterring, delaying or denying
‘ONE BRIDGE’: The US president-elect met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 in Florida and the two discussed a potential Taiwan-China conflict’s implications for world peace US president-elect Donald Trump has described Taiwan as “a major issue for world peace” during a meeting with Akie Abe, the widow of late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Japanese newspaper the Yomiuri Shimbun quoted sources as saying in a report yesterday. Trump met with Akie Abe on Dec. 15 at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where the two discussed the Russo-Ukrainian war and the situation in the Taiwan Strait. During the meeting, Trump spoke on the implications for world peace of a potential Taiwan-China conflict, which “indicated his administration’s stance of placing importance on dealing with the situation in
QUICK LOOK: The amendments include stricter recall requirements and Constitutional Court procedures, as well as a big increase in local governments’ budgets Portions of controversial amendments to tighten requirements for recalling officials and Constitutional Court procedures were passed by opposition lawmakers yesterday following clashes between lawmakers in the morning, as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members tried to block Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators from entering the chamber. Parts of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) and Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed the third reading yesterday. The legislature was still voting on various amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) as of press time last night, after the session was extended to midnight. Amendments to Article 4
ALLIANCE: Washington continues to implement its policy of normalizing arms sales to Taiwan and helps enhance its defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said US President Joe Biden on Friday agreed to provide US$571.3 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House said, while the US State Department approved the potential sale of US$265 million in military equipment. Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority “to direct the drawdown of up to US$571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan,” the White House said in a statement. However, it did not provide specific details about this latest package, which was the third of its kind to
RSS