Legislators yesterday urged the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to address the issue of the fifth freedom of the air for cross-strait flights in negotiations with China over an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA).
The fifth freedom of the air would allow Taiwanese carriers to fly on to other nations after arriving at airports in China, and vice versa.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Yang Li-huan (楊麗環) and Chu Fong-chi (朱鳳芝) suggested that the ministry take the opportunity presented by ECFA talks to discuss the matter.
Chu said Taiwan and China had failed to reach a consensus on the fifth freedom at previous cross-strait talks because if China agrees to the fifth freedom, it could risk Chinese carriers losing some customers to their Taiwanese counterparts.
MOTC Deputy Minister Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said the ministry could make policy suggestions to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and recommend that it list the issue on the agenda for talks with Chinese officials if “it is in the best interest of Taiwan.”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), on the other hand, said that the ministry should work to gain observer status for Taiwan in the UN International Civil Aviation Organization.
The proposals were put forward at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee to review the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s (CAA) budget for the 2010 fiscal year.
Aside from the matter of cross-strait flights, some legislators also criticized the CAA for what they said was a lackluster performance by Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
A report by Airports Council International (ACI) ranked the airport 18th in the Asia-Pacific region last year in terms of flight passenger volume, down from 14th in 2007.
Lawmakers said there were shortcomings in the airport’s infrastructure. They also suggested that the MOTC dismiss flight control personnel at airports that have relatively low usage rates.
DPP Legislator Kuo Wen-chen (郭玟成) said some airports, such as Pingtung’s, have a usage rate of about 1 percent since the launch of the high-speed rail.
Yeh Kuang-shih said the ministry would review the operations of all airports nationwide.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS