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."
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved 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). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS