As Taiwan is connected with the world through the oceans, it aims to establish a first-rate marine industry, while balancing environmental sustainability, and encourage more international visitors to appreciate all the nation has to offer, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday at the fourth National Oceans Day event in Kaohsiung.
In celebration of National Oceans Day, which is on June 8 each year, the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) held an event at the Kaohsiung Maritime Cultural and Pop Music Center from Thursday through yesterday.
Tsai said that since the OAC was established five years ago, marine affairs management has been shifted from local governments to the central government, showing Taiwan’s high respect for the ocean and representing the spirit of “being based in Taiwan, and sailing toward the world.”
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Taipei Times
The event’s theme this year echoed the UN’s World Oceans Day theme “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing” — a reminder that everyone is responsible for protecting the ocean, she said.
The government has promoted a series of “pay tribute to the ocean” policies over the past few years, which included amending the Marine Pollution Control Act (海洋污染防治法) and increasing maximum penalties for ocean polluters from NT$1.5 million to NT$100 million (US$48,820 to US$3.25 million), last month, Tsai said, adding that an ocean pollution prevention fund is to be established.
The Marine Industry Development Regulations (海洋產業發展條例) were also passed last month, stipulating that the government should allocate funds for developing the marine industry, encouraging locals to attend marine-related activities, and providing guidance, assistance, rewards and subsidies for marine businesses, she said.
These efforts show how the government is dealing with ocean pollution, and establishing a quality marine industry, while balancing environmental sustainability, Tsai said.
“Oceans connect Taiwan with the world, and while the world is returning to normal in the post-pandemic era, beautiful Taiwan is opening its arms and embracing the world through the oceans, so it welcomes international friends to come and visit,” she said, adding that people who love surfing, diving, fishing or whale watching should not miss the opportunity to visit Taiwan.
The government has set a goal of attracting more than 6 million international visitors this year, she added.
Tsai said that for Taiwan to be sustainable, its oceans must be sustainable, so she encourages everyone to work together to protect them.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was questioned by prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating an attack on a taxi driver after he was allegedly driven on a longer than necessary route in a car he disliked. The questioning at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office was ongoing as of press time last night. Police have recommended charges of attempted murder. The legally embattled actor — known for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代) — is under a separate investigation for allegedly using fake medical documents to evade mandatory military service. According to local media reports, police said Wang earlier last year ordered a
CAUTION: Based on intelligence from the nation’s security agencies, MOFA has cautioned Taiwanese travelers about heightened safety risks in China-friendly countries The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday urged Taiwanese to be aware of their safety when traveling abroad, especially in countries that are friendly to China. China in June last year issued 22 guidelines that allow its courts to try in absentia and sentence to death so-called “diehard” Taiwanese independence activists, even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan. Late last month, a senior Chinese official gave closed-door instructions to state security units to implement the guidelines in countries friendly to China, a government memo and a senior Taiwan security official said, based on information gathered by Taiwan’s intelligence agency. The
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said yesterday that it is looking to hire 8,000 people this year, at a time when the tech giant is expanding production capacity to maintain its lead over competitors. To attract talent, TSMC would launch a large-scale recruitment campaign on campuses across Taiwan, where a newly recruited engineer with a master’s degree could expect to receive an average salary of NT$2.2 million (US$60,912), which is much higher than the 2023 national average of NT$709,000 for those in the same category, according to government statistics. TSMC, which accounted for more than 60 percent
President William Lai (賴清德) should protect Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), and stop supporting domestic strife and discord, former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) wrote on Facebook yesterday. US President Donald Trump and TSMC on Monday jointly announced that the company would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next few years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US. The TSMC plans have promoted concern in Taiwan that it would effectively lead to the chipmaking giant becoming Americanized. The Lai administration lacks tangible policies to address concerns that Taiwan might follow in Ukraine’s footsteps, Ma wrote. Instead, it seems to think it could