POLITICS
Debate schedule declined
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party members of the legislature’s Procedure Committee yesterday declined to schedule a debate of the central government budget for the next fiscal year, the fourth time it was rejected. There were 10 votes in support and eight against. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hoped to review the budget on Friday. DPP Legislator Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the KMT’s remanding the budget to the Procedure Committee was baseless, adding that the refusal to review the budget would render legislation against scamming useless without the funding. The opposition’s refusal to review the budget is hampering the government’s efforts to prevent and rebuild from damage caused by typhoons, the DPP said. The KMT said that all funding for disaster prevention has already been allocated, and it only called for the Executive Yuan to review budget allocations.
MILITARY
Soldier dies on range
A member of the air force died yesterday after he was hit by a live round during a small-arms training session on a shooting range on a military base in Taichung, the air force said in a statement. The private first class, surnamed Hsu (許), died after he was rushed to a hospital, the air force said. The China Times earlier reported that the soldier was engaged in T-91 rifle training when the gun apparently misfired, sending a bullet into his jaw. The air force has not commented on that detail, but said it has created a task force to investigate the incident. At a legislative meeting yesterday afternoon, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said he was saddened by the incident when asked about it by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Jen (黃仁). Koo said that he would instruct the military to review safety procedures for shooting training. The military would ensure that Hsu’s family receives a generous consolation payment as per regulations, he added.
DIPLOMACY
Minister greets new envoy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Monday welcomed Cheloy Garafil, the Philippines’ new top representative to Taiwan, and said he hoped bilateral exchanges and cooperation would continue to grow during her tenure. Lin met with Garafil, the new head of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Taipei headquarters, and highlighted the common interests and values shared by Taipei and Manila. He said he hoped that cordial bilateral exchanges in several areas, including trade, fisheries, agriculture, disaster prevention, education and healthcare, would continue, the ministry said in a statement. Garafil said that she was honored to be stationed in Taipei and was also happy to land in Taiwan for the first time. She said she would do her best to promote bilateral cooperation on all fronts and people-to-people ties during her tenure. Garafil, a former press secretary to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, took over at the office as chairperson on Tuesday last week, succeeding Silvestre Hernando Bello III. She previously served as head of the Philippines Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and as a prosecutor at the Department of Justice during the administration of former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Prior to her government jobs, Garafil worked as a reporter at the Malaya newspaper and also for the Central News Agency.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
There are 77 incidents of Taiwanese travelers going missing in China between January last year and last month, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said. More than 40 remain unreachable, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said on Friday. Most of the reachable people in the more than 30 other incidents were allegedly involved in fraud, while some had disappeared for personal reasons, Luo said. One of these people is Kuo Yu-hsuan (郭宇軒), a 22-year-old Taiwanese man from Kaohsiung who went missing while visiting China in August. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said in a news statement that he was under investigation
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
An aviation jacket patch showing a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh has become popular overseas, including at an aviation festival held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Ashiya Airbase yesterday. The patch was designed last year by Taiwanese designer Hsu Fu-yu (徐福佑), who said that it was inspired by Taiwan’s countermeasures against frequent Chinese military aircraft incursions. The badge shows a Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag as it punches Winnie the Pooh — a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is dressed in red and is holding a honey pot with