The nation's Republican (or minguo, 民國) calendar will not be abandoned in favor of the Gregorian calendar unless the majority of the public agrees to the plan, the Cabinet said yesterday.
"This does not concern politics. It is only a proposal to help us and our country communicate with foreign friends more easily," Government Information Office Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (
Reports
Cheng made the remarks yesterday morning in response to a story in the Chinese-language daily the United Daily News, which reported that the Cabinet had given official notice to the Ministry of the Interior asking it to begin evaluating the proposal to change the calendar system.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission said there would be no difficulty in carrying out such a policy, but that political issues could get in the way that might be difficult for the government to overcome.
Dismissal
"We have yet issued any notice to the ministry. In addition, it is not the ministry's job to evaluate the proposal. It is the commission's, actually," Cheng said. "The commission has completed its report and submitted it to the Cabinet. The premier asked that for a slowdown, review and re-consideration of the entire proposal because it also concerns a lot of changes on related mechanisms. If we want to do it, we will have to do it gradually."
The idea to change the calendar system was first put forward by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Tai-hua (
Su expressed support for the change.
Majority rules
Speaking on behalf of the premier, Cheng said that more time and money -- as well as the support of the majority of Taiwan's citizens -- would be required before the Cabinet changes the calendar system.
"We will handle this case carefully and gradually," Cheng added.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS