Social activists yesterday showed their approval of Chen Shui-bian (
Basing their opinion on Chen's performance as Taipei City mayor, the activists said they were confident that Chen could do a much better job than the KMT.
Social activists in organizations representing labor, women, Aborigines and earthquake victims, jointly affirmed their belief in the future new government yesterday.
"The voice of the masses will be listened to more in the future," said Liglove Awu (
Chen's victory in the presidential race could act as a stimulus to the nascent struggle of Taiwan's Aboriginal population for more autonomy.
Last September Chen signed a bilateral agreement, or "New Partnership" document, with 11 representatives from Aboriginal ethnic groups. In the agreement, Chen recognized many innate privileges that should be enjoyed by Aborigines, such as local autonomy and the native ownership of land.
"We signed this agreement on the basis of equality and a consensus to pursue autonomy," said Omi Wilang (
Peng Yen-wen (
Peng said Chen had implemented solid women's policies during his term as Taipei Mayor.
"His experience coordinating with social groups in Taipei is applicable nationwide," Peng said.
Participation by women in politics has been one of Chen's policy platforms. Peng said Chen promised a minimum 25 percent female recruitment rate in the Cabinet, the Council of Grand Justices, the Control Yuan and the Examination Yuan.
"All of these promises should be due [for implementation] soon after Chen's inauguration," Peng said.
High expectations have also been found among labor groups. On March 11, Chen promised the Committee of Action for the Labor Legislature (CALL, 工人立法行動委員會) to implement labor changes by 2002, and reduce working hours from the existing 48 hours per week to 40 hours.
"Chen seldom overlooked his promised labor policies in his term as Taipei Mayor. We expect and believe he will do a better job than the present government," said the secretary-general of the Taiwan Labour Front, Kuo Kuo-wen (
The prospective candidate for Premier, Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh (
"Lee knows all the problems of reconstruction much better than the government," said Peng Sheng-chin (
US President Donald Trump yesterday announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners, including a 32 percent tax on goods from Taiwan that is set to take effect on Wednesday. At a Rose Garden event, Trump declared a 10 percent baseline tax on imports from all countries, with the White House saying it would take effect on Saturday. Countries with larger trade surpluses with the US would face higher duties beginning on Wednesday, including Taiwan (32 percent), China (34 percent), Japan (24 percent), South Korea (25 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Thailand (36 percent). Canada and Mexico, the two largest US trading
ACTION PLAN: Taiwan would expand procurement from the US and encourage more companies to invest in the US to deepen bilateral cooperation, Lai said The government would not impose reciprocal tariffs in retaliation against US levies, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, as he announced five strategies to address the issue, including pledging to increase Taiwanese companies’ investments in the US. Lai has in the past few days met with administrative and national security officials, as well as representatives from various industries, to explore countermeasures after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday last week announced a 32 percent duty on Taiwanese imports. In a video released yesterday evening, Lai said that Taiwan would not retaliate against the US with higher tariffs and Taiwanese companies’ commitments to
‘SPECIAL CHANNEL’: Taipei’s most important tasks are to stabilize industries affected by Trump’s trade tariffs and keep negotiations with Washington open, a source said National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) arrived in the US for talks with US President Donald Trump’s administration, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. Wu was leading a delegation for a meeting known as the “special channel,” the Financial Times reported earlier. It marked Trump’s first use of the channel since returning to the White House on Jan. 20. Citing a source familiar with the matter, the Financial Times reported that Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) was also a part of the delegation. The visit came days after China concluded war games around Taiwan and amid Trump’s
CHIP EXCEPTION: An official said that an exception for Taiwanese semiconductors would have a limited effect, as most are packaged in third nations before being sold The Executive Yuan yesterday decried US President Donald Trump’s 32 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods announced hours earlier as “unfair,” saying it would lodge a representation with Washington. The Cabinet in a statement described the pledged US tariffs, expected to take effect on Wednesday next week, as “deeply unreasonable” and “highly regrettable.” Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said that the government would “lodge a solemn representation” with the US Trade Representative and continue negotiating with Washington to “ensure the interests of our nation and industries.” Trump at a news conference in Washington on Wednesday announced a 10 percent baseline tariff on most goods
RSS