Reforms needed for press freedomBy Christophe DeloireAs President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) enters her second term, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in an open letter reiterates its call for reforms to guarantee editorial independence and tackle conflicts of interest in the media as the only sustainable way to protect democracy against disinformation. Despite having long recognized the problem, successive governments have not properly addressed it, invoking the principle of “freedom of the press” as an excuse for inaction. We insist that press freedom should not be misinterpreted as the right of media owners to freely disseminate content that suits their interests. Like any other freedom, it requires proper regulations and democratic control to be fully effective and deter abuse. We are convinced that such reform would allow Taiwan, currently ranked 43nd out of 180 in the RSF World Press Freedom Index, to fight disinformation effectively while strengthening its international prestige.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Yi-yu speaks at a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei in an undated photograph. Following discussions with DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), Tsai Yi-yu, despite acknowledging a recent swell of anti-China sentiment, said he decided not to run the risk. Separately yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) called on the DPP to stop exploiting cross-strait issues. The DPP had submitted a slew of similar proposals in the past, which all petered out as DPP lawmakers were not serious about pushing them forward, Chiang said. The DPP should give a clear explanation about why it has retracted the proposals, he said.

The 73rd session of the WHA is to be held virtually on Monday and Tuesday, but Taiwan — which participated in the annual assembly as an observer from 2009 to 2016 — has not received an invitation. Front row from left, Taiwan United Nations Alliance (TAIUNA) president Michael Tsai, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung and TAIUNA secretary-general William Lo raise their fists at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei TimesThe increased support reflects the accumulated efforts of the government and civic groups over the years, the ministry said. Due to the tight agenda, each member state would have only two minutes to speak, the source said, adding that the proposals might be discussed at a WHO meeting scheduled for October and November. Separately yesterday, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), a group of lawmakers and members of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance also held a news conference about the nation’s efforts to attend the WHA.

Taiwan’s Emilio Estevez makes CPL historyBy Dave Carroll / Staff reporterTaiwan international soccer player Emilio Estevez has signed for Dutch side ADO Den Haag for an undisclosed fee, his side York9 announced on Tuesday, making the 21-year-old midfielder the first Canadian Premier League (CPL) player to sign for a top-flight European side. It’s something that I wasn’t expecting, to be honest,” Estevez told the CPL Web site. Taiwan’s Emilio Estevez, right, controls the ball as he looks for a way around Australia’s Brandon Borrello in their FIFA World Cup qualifier at Kaohsiung National Stadium on Oct. 15 last year. Having had trials at Spanish side Levante UD and Queens Park Rangers in England, Estevez signed for York9 and played 18 matches in the inaugural CPL season. “Coming from trials two years ago and now going to Europe is obviously a huge thrill for me,” Estevez said.

In a world first, the league on Friday last week opened stadiums to a maximum of 1,000 spectators per game under approval from the CECC. Starting today, 2,000 fans are to be allowed to attend games at stadiums, the Central Epidemic Command Center said yesterday. Photo: Chen Chi-chu, Taipei TimesFans are assigned staggered seats, required to wear masks and prohibited from eating, although water is allowed. The CPBL was also the first professional baseball league in the world to start its new season, opening on April 12. No new cases were reported by the center yesterday, for a seventh straight day.

A combination photograph shows letters on the WHO’s Web site from some of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies requesting that the WHO consider inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly on Monday next week. Japan would do its utmost to back Taiwan’s bid to join the WHA, Motegi said when answering questions in a session of the Japanese House of Representatives. The US, Canada and Australia have also expressed support for Taiwan’s WHA bid by various means. “Australia supports Taiwan’s involvement in the World Health Organization’s work and Taiwan’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly. While Taiwan’s bid might not succeed, many people are helping Taiwan and “the wind is blowing,” Chen said yesterday at the Central Epidemic Command Center’s daily news briefing.

Veterans Affairs hopes to fill its US posts by year’s endStaff writer, with CNAThe government plans to station two retired senior military personnel at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington to enhance exchanges, Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) said on Wednesday. However, the move is dependent upon lawmakers passing draft amendments to the Organization Act of Veterans Affairs Council (國軍退除役官兵輔導委員會組織法) that the Executive Yuan approved on April 30. Veterans Affairs Council Minister Feng Shih-kuan, center, attends a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee in Taipei on Wednesday. Taiwan has 24 veterans’ affairs organizations in the US and Canada, where an estimated 4,966 Taiwanese live, council data showed. The pair would also participate in veterans’ affairs activities to improve Taiwan’s visibility on the world stage, especially in terms of the contributions the Republic of China made in World War II, the council said.

KMT says it has suspended Harry Lee over remarksBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter, with CNAThe membership rights of National Civil Servant Association honorary chairman Harry Lee (李來希) have been suspended following his controversial comments about New Power Party Legislator Claire Wang (王婉諭), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said yesterday. People demonstrate outside the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) headquarters in Taipei yesterday, calling for the party to expel Harry Lee, the honorary chairman of the National Civil Servant Association. Lee said that Claire Wang was “stepping on her own daughter’s head” and that she had used the tragedy in her family in exchange for wealth and power. Lee’s personal attacks against Claire Wang appeared to have been triggered by her support for the recall of Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), who is facing a recall vote on June 6. Harry Lee, honorary chairman of the National Civil Servant Association, is pictured at a Chunghwa Post office in Taipei on March 30.

MOTC mulls easing rules on eating onboard trainsBy Shelley Shan / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) is considering easing restrictions on eating and drinking onboard trains, but added that it would continue to enforce key disease prevention measures before the Dragon Boat Festival holiday next month. Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung, left, speaks at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Transportation Committee in Taipei yesterday. The second phase is to subsidize domestic tour groups and individual travelers engaging in such safe tours, Lin said, adding that the budget for this phase is NT$2 billion. “We hope that we can start engaging in epidemic prevention tours before the Dragon Boat Festival holiday and start preparing ourselves for the second phase. When the nation would enter the second phase would depend on how well we implement the first phase, which is to last for one to three months,” he said.

Interior ministry urged to halt eID implementationBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterA coalition of civic groups and lawmakers yesterday raised concerns about the security of the government’s planned electronic identification card (eID) project over links to China and demanded its implementation be delayed. Ministry of the Interior officials have said Taipei-based Guo Ju Consultants Co won the tender for the eID project in April last year, while production of the eIDs was awarded to the state-owned Central Engraving and Printing Plant, a central bank subsidiary that prints the nation’s banknotes, passports and government-issued identification cards. Guo Ju Consultants’ connections to China should worry Taiwanese concerned about the leak of their personal data to the Chinese government, Chiang said. “If the eID scheme goes through, then Beijing will have full access to all the personal information on each Taiwanese citizen, this is very dangerous. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Kao Hung-an (高虹安) called on the government to conduct a more careful evaluation of the project before going ahead with it.

Minor Cabinet reshuffle in the worksEXECUTIVE YUAN: Kung Ming-hsin will reportedly take over the National Development Council, and the ministers of national defense and the interior will retain their postsBy Sean Lin / Staff reporterPresident Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) second term would start with a minor Cabinet reshuffle, with National Development Council Minister Chen Mei-ling (陳美伶), Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) and Minister of Science and Technology Chen Liang-gee (陳良基) leaving, a source with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The three ministers have accomplished the missions they were assigned, and the reshuffle would not interrupt efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or the government’s operations, the source said. Chen Liang-gee plans to return to teaching at National Taiwan University, where he used to be a chair professor, they said. She said she was also proud of helping introducing the concept of “cultural governance” to the nation’s political culture. Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發) and Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) are staying on, despite recent controversies, the source said.

However, Fu is to retain his legislator’s status and continue to draw a salary during his time in prison. The Supreme Court rejected Fu’s appeal in a case that has dragged on for more than two decades because of his repeated appeals. Though nominally an independent legislator, Fu, a former Hualien County commissioner, is closely aligned with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), despite leaving the party in 2009. The Supreme Court ruling also instructed prosecutors to take measures to prevent Fu from fleeing the country. There would be no by-election as Fu can serve out the rest of his legislative term, Chen added.

Among the nation’s 440 confirmed cases, 375 patients have recovered and been removed from isolation, he said. Asked about relaxing disease prevention regulations, Chen said that students taking examinations as part of the Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students this weekend would still be required to wear masks. Documents from a hospital proving that they are engaged in epidemic prevention work and their hospital staff identification card would need to be presented when checking in, he added. Addressing the children, Chen said that they can play outside again if they promise to practice good personal hygiene to stay healthy. He said that he would return their piggy banks and allowances to encourage them to continue saving money.

Virus Outbreak: Taishin eyes corporate lending growthCLOUDY VISIBILITY: The firm would retain its original goal of high single-digit growth for the sector this year, but it would be cautious, president Welch Lin told investorsBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaishin Financial Holding Co (台新金控) yesterday said its banking unit is expected to see high single-digit percentage growth in corporate lending this year, despite the COVID-19 outbreak. An undated photograph shows the entrance of Taishin Financial Holding Co headquarters in Taipei. “With unclear visibility on corporate lending ahead, we would be more cautious, but still keep our original goal of high single-digit growth in corporate lending this year,” Taishin Financial president Welch Lin (林維俊) said. As loans extended to industries vulnerable to the outbreak, such as tourism, hotels and aviation, made up less than 1 percent of its corporate lending, loan quality should remain sound this year, Sharon Lin said. Despite the loan growth in the first quarter, net fee income from corporate banking fell 24.8 percent annually to NT$314 million, as many syndicated loans had been postponed due to the outbreak, the bank said.

KMT member sparks public outcry with his criticism of NPP legislator‘LITTLE LIGHTBULB’: NPP and KMT members blasted Harry Lee’s comments that Claire Wang was exploiting the murder of her daughter for her own political gainBy Wu Su-wei, Shih Hsiao-kuang and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerChinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member Harry Lee’s (李來希) criticism of New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Claire Wang (王婉諭), including his comments about Wang’s slain daughter, yesterday sparked a public outcry, prompting the KMT to distance itself from Lee. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member Harry Lee, in his role as chairman of the National Civil Servants’ Association of Taiwan, gestures during a meeting in an undated photograph. New Power Party Legislator Claire Wang speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday, responding to comments made by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member Harry Lee. NPP Chairman Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) strongly condemned Lee’s comments, calling on Han, who has long called for open-mindedness, and the KMT to make known their stance regarding such malignant commentary. The KMT does not condone Lee’s commentary and urges him to issue an apology, KMT Culture and Communications Committee chair Alicia Wang (王育敏) said.