As the second anniversary of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster approaches, several civic groups have begun planning a series of anti-nuclear events, while legislators and political figures are getting ready to discuss the issue.
Flags printed with the shape of Taiwan that read “No nukes, No more Fukushima” have been hung in front of several coffee shops, stores and houses, showing the owners’ stance against nuclear power.
The flag initiative was started by a coffee shop owner in Taipei, by hanging the flags in several coffee shops on the same day as a silent demonstration of the owners’ anti-nuclear ideals, and the project later spread across the nation to include other stores and individuals.
The Green Citizen Action Alliance (GCAA) said that more than 4,000 flags have been sold, and many people have brought the flags to various locations to take photographs, such as on top of mountains or during dives in the ocean.
In addition, a nuclear power abolition demonstration held by various civic groups across the nation is planned for March 9, in Taipei, Greater Taichung, Greater Kaohsiung and Taitung.
GCAA coordinator Wang Shun-wei (王舜薇) said the parades will be formed by local civic groups, using various methods and visual designs to express the public’s opposition to nuclear power.
In addition, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus said that it will make a draft law on the promotion of a nuclear-free homeland a priority bill for review in the next legislative session, while the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus said the Cabinet and the legislature have to improve negotiations.
In the previous legislative session, a proposal by the DPP to cut off extra funds for the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant — the Longmen (龍門) plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮) — was not approved by the legislature, losing by two votes.
DPP Legislator Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) said the government should at least allow residents living near the plant to vote via referendum on whether the plant should be put into operation, but enacting the law would be an effective and direct way to stop the plant’s commercial operation.
KMT caucus whip Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) said the party also recognized the ideal of a nuclear-free homeland, but political parties must face the practical issues of resources, and the public may not be able to accept increased electricity prices or regulated power usage, so everyone should discuss nuclear policies rationally.
Moreover, former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday that the public thinks the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant is unsuitable for operating in Taiwan and hopes the nation can become a nuclear-free homeland.
If the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant begins commercial operations, it is expected to run for decades, so it would not be a good start for achieving a nuclear-free Taiwan, she added.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by