Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday drew a parallel between Chinese political influence and African swine fever, saying that the disease would deprive people of pork, but Beijing would deprive them of their freedom.
Su made the remark while delivering an administrative report at the Legislative Yuan when commenting on efforts to keep African swine fever out of Taiwan.
Hong Kong has destroyed about 6,000 pigs, Vietnam has buried 1.5 million and South Korea has culled 50,000 due to the disease, Su said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Thanks to the efforts of 14 central government agencies, Taiwan’s pig farming industry, which has more than 6 million hogs, and the nation’s pork supplies have remained intact, he said.
Apparently improvising, Su pointed to a map in his presentation on which nine Asian nations and territories were marked in red, indicating that they had been affected by the disease.
“If the red area suggested not the spread of African swine fever, but the spread of Chinese political influence, there would be more at stake than just pork, our democracy and freedom would be lost,” he said, adding that this is the situation the nation faces today.
He expressed gratitude to the public for demonstrating unity in combating the disease, saying that disease prevention demonstrates the importance of the entire nation uniting behind a cause.
He said the first document he signed since assuming office in January was a proposal to launch the third phase of the National Space Program, for which the government plans to invest NT$25.1 billion (US$808.6 million) over 10 years.
The Formosat-7 satellite constellation was in June launched into orbit and has established a connection with ground stations, enabling it to safeguard people’s lives and safety from space, Su said.
The Taiwan Photon Source project overseen by the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center has deciphered the genome of the white spot syndrome virus, greatly benefiting the global shrimp industry, he said.
A team of Taiwanese scientists was involved in the operation and construction of three of the eight radio telescopes used by the Event Horizon Telescope project, which in April captured the first image of a black hole, he added.
This year’s Freedom in the World Report published by Freedom House in February gave Taiwan an overall score of 93, higher than those of the US and France, Su said.
The nation has made unique achievements in various fields, which have earned it high regard in the world, but many Taiwanese are unfamiliar with these accomplishments, he said.
He called on the ruling and opposition parties to join hands to move Taiwan forward, saying that he would require the Executive Yuan to introduce more visionary policies and be more efficient in promoting them to create a more equal society and give people even better lives.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
SECURITY CONCERNS: An FBI agent said it was surprising that the shooter, whose motive remains unknown, was able to open fire before the Secret Service killed him On the heels of an apparent attempt to kill him, former US president Donald Trump yesterday called for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him injured, but “fine,” and the shooter and a rally-goer dead. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting His aides said he was in “great spirits” and doing well. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he