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.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and