The Executive Yuan’s proposals on the founding of semiconductor research academies at local universities, the establishment of a new digital development ministry and a space development bill would be the priorities for the new legislative session starting today.
A draft amendment to the organic act for a digital development ministry, proposed changes to the Culture and Arts Reward Act (文化藝術獎助條例) and a draft bill on developing key national industries are also to be introduced.
The draft act on developing key national industries aims to provide a legal basis to establish a “semiconductor academy” at top universities that would produce 400 graduates with a master’s or doctorate degree in relevant fields of study.
The draft amendment to the organic act for the ministry of digital development is more controversial and the Executive Yuan hopes to discuss the proposal with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus before submitting it to the legislature, the Executive said.
The Executive Yuan also hopes that the Legislative Yuan would prioritize the draft amendment to the Commodity Tax Act (貨物稅條例) and the draft space development act for review.
“We hope that all proposed draft bills and amendments will be fast-tracked by the Legislative Yuan,” Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) said.
Lo also urged ministries to work with the legislative caucuses to obtain their support.
Separately, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) is expected to appear at the Legislative Yuan today to report on the special fund project for the hog industry, as well as the import of vaccines for COVID-19.
The proposed NT$13 billion (US$460 million) special fund would be used to guarantee hog farmers’ benefits, subsidize an increased premium payout for pigs dying; strategically expand Taiwan’s pork exports; promote the modernization of slaughterhouses; subsidize the modernization of hog farm facilities; step up inspections of imported pork for ractopamine, and labeling and promoting the use of local pork at restaurants.
Taiwan yesterday condemned the recent increase in Chinese coast guard-escorted fishing vessels operating illegally in waters around the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. Unusually large groupings of Chinese fishing vessels began to appear around the islands on Feb. 15, when at least six motherships and 29 smaller boats were sighted, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said in a news release. While CGA vessels were dispatched to expel the Chinese boats, Chinese coast guard ships trespassed into Taiwan’s restricted waters and unsuccessfully attempted to interfere, the CGA said. Due to the provocation, the CGA initiated an operation to increase
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