Some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday said they would not attend a planned party debate on cross-strait policies in protest at the Cabinet's recent announcement on its "active management, effective opening" economic policy.
The DPP plans to hold a debate on China policy next weekend. The legislators said that it would be meaningless to take part in the debate given that the administration has already finalized its policies.
On Wednesday, the Executive Yuan announced a plan to adopt a more rigorous approach in its implementation of the "active management, effective opening" policy. Beginning on June 30, China-bound investment projects exceeding US$20 million or involving sensitive technology will be subject to a tougher approval procedure.
DPP Legislator Julian Kuo (
"The Cabinet has negated the DPP's democratic mechanism and I refuse to endorse its decision," Kuo said. "To show my strong opposition, I will quit the DPP's debate on China policy that I had already signed up for."
Kuo said Premier Su Tseng-chang (
"In view of this situation, I think it is meaningless to go on with the debate," he added.
DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (
Lee said the Executive Yuan should postpone its adoption of the new China investment policy until the DPP reaches a conclusion, and then the Presidential Office, Executive Yuan and legislative caucus come to an agreement on it.
"Otherwise it will be redundant for us to debate this topic," Lee said.
DPP caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (
DPP spokesman Tsai Huang-liang (
"It is just as if a baseball game is about to begin, yet the players call it quits," Tsai Huang-liang said.
But Lo Cheng-fang (羅正方), deputy executive of the DPP's Policy Development Committee -- who is responsible for setting the agenda for the debate -- said yesterday the party is communicating with the disgruntled lawmakers and the debate would not be canceled.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS