Control Yuan members Fan Sun-lu (笵巽綠) and Su Li-chiung (蘇麗瓊) on Tuesday said that they are petitioning to investigate if strict regulations on activities near water are infringing on the public’s right to recreational activities.
The pair said they have received complaints from the Taiwan Allow Activities on Open Waters Alliance and other organizations that their request to the Taipei City Government to hold a recursive rowing event in Dahu Park (大湖公園) in Neihu District (內湖) was denied.
Taiwan has many lakes and rivers, the Control Yuan members said, adding that it is a rising trend among international cities, such as New York, Tokyo and Amsterdam, to promote water-related recreational activities to promote economic development.
Photo: Cheng Ming-hsiang, Taipei Times
Regulations in Taiwan seem to stand in the way of popularizing recreational water activities, they said.
The Control Yuan is within reason to launch an investigation into the issue, as it believes questions on whether standing regulations are anachronistic or whether the Taipei City Government’s refusal to approve the event was targeted should be answered, they said.
Competent authorities and local city governments have differing regulations on open water activities, making it difficult for practitioners to follow the law, Fan and Su said.
The pair said they would determine whether the Taipei City Government’s decision observes the principle of proportionality and whether its standards are appropriate.
Definition of open water areas and what locations fit these criteria should be inventoried and local regulations reviewed to encourage the public to take part in aquatic activities, they said.
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
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party