Cabinet needs gender balance: committee members
Cabinet needs gender balance: committee membersBy Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporterPresident Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) need to create a more gender-balanced Cabinet, several outgoing members of the Fourth Gender Equality Committee said yesterday. Members of the Fourth Gender Equality Committee hold placards at a news conference in Taipei yesterday urging the government to appoint more female Cabinet members. The Gender Equality Committee consists of 27 to 35 members, including the premier and vice premier, who serve as convener and deputy convener respectively. Committee members are appointed by the premier and can include up to nine professionals selected from among the public, and nine representatives from gender or women’s groups. A list of new committee members would be announced after Su approves it, he added.
Source:Taipei Times
June 30, 2020 15:56 UTC
New envoy to US faces challenges in improving bilateral ties: academic
New envoy to US faces challenges in improving bilateral ties: academicBy Peng Wan-hsin and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerSeveral areas of Taiwan-US relations would require improvement after National Security Council member Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) takes over as representative to the US, an academic said yesterday, citing China’s continuous military intimidation of Taiwan. As the US is to hold its presidential election in November, Taiwan should strive to prevent any major shifts in bilateral relations in the event of a change in the US administration, Lai said. Taiwan-US relations could alter drastically in the near term in the face of multiple challenges and opportunities, such as economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing US-China relations, Hsiao said on Facebook on June 18, two days after her appointment. Pressing matters that need to be handled include stalled progress on bilateral free-trade agreements and talks under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, observers have said. Taiwan’s ban on imports of US pork containing ractopamine and some beef products should also be addressed via practical means, they said.
Source:Taipei Times
June 30, 2020 15:56 UTC
Williams tells local hoopers to ‘get in shape’ for NBA 3X
Williams tells local hoopers to ‘get in shape’ for NBA 3XStaff writer, with CNAFormer NBA point guard Jason Williams yesterday encouraged basketball players in Taiwan to work on building their stamina so they can give their best in an upcoming three-on-three tournament. Williams in a videoconference from Florida said that three-on-three games are more physically demanding than five-on-five because of the running involved. Former NBA player Jason Williams yesterday takes part in a videoconference to promote the Cathay NBA 3X 2020 tournament. “For the young hoopers over in Taiwan who are going to do the three-on-three, you’d better get in shape and get ready to play,” he said ahead of the Cathay NBA 3X 2020 tournament that starts on Saturday. The Cathay NBA 3X 2020, hosted by NBA Taiwan and sponsored by Cathay Financial Holdings, is to begin with preliminaries in Taichung at the weekend, before moving on to Taoyuan on July 18 and 19, Taipei on July 25 and 26, and Kaohsiung on Aug. 2.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Executive Yuan highlights Taiwan’s human rights progress in new report
Executive Yuan highlights Taiwan’s human rights progress in new reportBy Chen Yu-fu and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Executive Yuan yesterday published Taiwan’s third national report on the implementation of two international human rights covenants, touting milestones set over the past four years, including the decriminalization of adultery and legalization of same-sex marriage. Premier Su Tseng-chang smiles during a news conference at the Executive Yuan yesterday on Taiwan’s implementation of international human rights covenants. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei TimesThe latest report documents human rights efforts made by the government, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said. Previously the reports were submitted by the Presidential Office’s Human Rights Consultative Committee, which stopped operating on May 19, after the Organic Act of the Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission (監察院國家人權委員會組織法) took effect on May 1. The government plans to make several other international human rights pacts part of domestic law, and it is to introduce more action plans on Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, he added.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taipower chair defends restarting No. 2 generator
Taipower chair defends restarting No. 2 generatorStaff writer, with agenciesWith the restart of the Taichung Power Plant’s No. 3 generators at the Taichung Power Plant, Yang told a news conference yesterday in Taipei. The Taichung City Government responded by issuing a fine of NT2 million (US$67,511) and demanded that the generator be shut down. He said that he regretted the politicization of the power generator issue.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Cabinet urges preordering digital stimulus vouchers
Cabinet urges preordering digital stimulus vouchersStaff writer, with CNAThe Executive Yuan yesterday encouraged the public to preorder government-issued Triple Stimulus Vouchers and to choose the digital format to avoid long lines when they become available later this week. During the first round or preordering from tomorrow to Tuesday next week, Taiwanese nationals and foreign spouses with resident certificates can order the vouchers on the Web site 3000.gov.tw or at convenience stores, Tang said. A woman holds up Triple Stimulus Vouchers at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday. People can collect the vouchers from July 15 to July 31 at the convenience stores by presenting their National Health Insurance card or national identification card, Tang said. More details of the stimulus program are available on its Web site at https://bit.ly/3dJjO4o.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Exclusion of jury system bill protested
Exclusion of jury system bill protested‘TWIN TRACK’: Critics of a lay judge system said that judicial reform should not be politicized and the system should be tested alongside a jury system for some timeBy Jason Pan / Staff reporterJudicial reform advocates yesterday protested the legislature’s exclusion from its extraordinary session agenda of a bill to implement a jury system, while including a rival proposal for a lay judge system. “To have a jury system is to truly respect the wishes of the people in a democracy. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times“In doing so, the government and judiciary are depriving the citizens of their right to choose a jury system,” Lin added. New Power Party caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) also attended the protest in support of a jury system. However, the proposed bill as presented by the Judicial Yuan excludes the jury system,” he said.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Financial firms call for rule changes
Financial firms call for rule changesBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterLocal financial firms yesterday called on the Financial Supervisory Commission to deregulate rules on consumer identity authentication, know-your-customer (KYC) data sharing and financial technology sandbox trials, saying that it would help boost their business development in Taiwan. Financial Supervisory Commission officials, led by Chairman Thomas Huang, and representatives from 39 financial firms hold a meeting in New Taipei City yesterday. “The commission should let companies decide which method to use to ward off fraudsters. It is important for us to figure out how to share KYC data without breaching personal information protections,” Yuanta Financial chief digital development officer Kuo Mei-ling (郭美伶) said. Regarding sandbox experiments conducted together by financial firms and non-financial companies, financial firms must take full responsibility if there are accidents or fraud under the current regulations, which has prevented many firms from getting involved, CTBC Financial president Daniel Wu (吳一揆) said.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
Parliamentary friendship associations set up
Parliamentary friendship associations set upFRIENDLY NATIONS: The establishment of the associations is a starting point for a new round of international networking, the Nicaraguan ambassador to Taiwan saidBy Lu Yi-hsuan and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Legislative Yuan has established friendship associations with lawmakers in Latin America and Africa as part of the nation’s efforts to bolster ties with diplomatic allies and nations friendly to Taiwan. The two associations have been set up to promote deeper exchanges between Taiwanese lawmakers and their counterparts Latin America and Africa, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), who spearheaded the initiative, said at the inaugural meeting in Taipei yesterday. A cross-party effort, the Taiwan-Central and South American and Caribbean Countries Parliamentary Friendship Association has 30 Taiwanese legislative members, while the Taiwan-African Countries Parliamentary Friendship Association has 46, Chiu said, adding that the goal is to have more than half of the Legislative Yuan join both groups. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei, fifth left, poses for a picture with representatives of the Taiwan-Central and South American and Caribbean Countries Parliamentary Friendship Association in Taipei yesterday. Lauding the founding of the associations, Nicaraguan Ambassador William Manuel Tapia Aleman, who is the dean of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan, said he believed the associations would benefit Taiwan’s foreign relations.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
KMT bid to block legislative votes fails
Democratic Progressive Party and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers scuffle for control of the podium in the main chamber of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday morning, after KMT legislators had occupied the room on Sunday. DPP and KMT legislators scuffled for about an hour before the KMT lawmakers retreated. Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) entered the chamber at about 12:20pm, while KMT legislators shouted chants calling for the withdrawal of Chen’s nomination. Democratic Progressive Party legislators Wu Ping-jui, center, has his arms around the neck of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Mong-kai, with whistle, yesterday during scuffles at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Retired civil servants, military personnel and teachers protest outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.
Source:Taipei Times
June 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
John J. Tkacik On Taiwan: Taiwan’s ‘new normal’ diplomacy
John J. Tkacik On Taiwan: Taiwan’s ‘new normal’ diplomacyTaiwan’s status in the world community is experiencing something really different; it’s being treated like a normal country. It is a new attitude, weighing Taiwan’s democracy against China’s lack of it. Title 18 of the United States Code (sec. According to press reports, the Chinese side requested the meeting with Mr. Pompeo, whom they habitually revile in the most vituperative terms. In his prepared remarks, Mr. Pompeo avoided mentioning Taiwan at all.
Source:Taipei Times
June 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
More Taiwanese living in poor health
The number of years that Taiwanese spend in poor health is increasing slowly, but steadily, rising by 0.46 years, or five-and-a-half months, between 2012 and 2018, Department of Statistics Lee Chiu-yen (李秋嬿) said. It also highlights the dual problem of people generally having an “irresponsible” attitude toward their health and the authorities not allocating enough funds under the National Health Insurance (NHI) system for education about maintaining good health, Chiou said. The NHI system emphasizes treatment and is neglecting public health at large, he said. Some people do not take their medicine on time and develop a protracted period of poor health, while others started an unhealthy lifestyle early on, he added. Chen Ying-jen (陳英仁), a geriatric specialist at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said the nation’s universal healthcare and quality caregivers means that people are living longer in poor health.
Source:Taipei Times
June 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
Taoyuan sand dunes are ‘must see,’ mayor says
Taoyuan sand dunes are ‘must see,’ mayor saysTOURIST ATTRACTION: The Caota Sand Dunes cover an 8.1km strip of the Taoyuan coast and have been listed as the city’s first geological parkBy Cheng Shu-ting and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Caota Sand Dunes (草漯沙丘) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) is a site that “everyone must visit once in their lifetime,” Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) has said. The Caota dunes are up to 15m tall and extend 8.1km along the coast in a northeast-southwest direction. The sun sets over the Caota Sand Dunes in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District on Saturday. Photo: Cheng Shu-ting, Taipei TimesEnvironmental conservation group the Taiwan Environmental Information Association has listed the dunes as one of nine coastal sites nationwide that warrant preservation. Recognition as a geological park would help conserve a 284 hectare section of Taoyuan’s coastline between Guanyin and Dayuan (大園) districts, Cheng said.
Source:Taipei Times
June 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
Interview: Constitution needs to change, foundation boss says
Interview: Constitution needs to change, foundation boss saysBy Huang Tai-lin / Staff reporterA constitution — be it codified or not — is an expression of sovereignty that reflects a country’s political principles and its people’s collective values. Among those critics is Taiwan New Constitution Foundation executive director Lin Yi-cheng (林宜正), whose foundation envisions a new constitution for the nation. The ROC Constitution has been amended seven times since 1996. For a constitution to be a good constitution, it needs be dealt with as a whole fundamentally, not through a patchwork of fragmented provisions,” Lin said. “The ‘one China’ Constitution is the straitjacket keeping Taiwan restrained,” Lin said, referring to the ROC Constitution, which states that China, called the “Mainland Area,” and Taiwan, called the “Taiwan Area,” are territories of the ROC.
Source:Taipei Times
June 28, 2020 15:56 UTC
People advised to limit ‘zongzi’ to one per meal
People advised to limit ‘zongzi’ to one per mealBy Lo Chi / Staff reporterPeople should avoid eating too many zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), as consuming several in one meal could cause indigestion, bloating, gastric acid reflux, heartburn and other stomach ailments, a doctor said on Saturday. Zongzi is a traditional delicacy for the Dragon Boat Festival, which was on Thursday. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei TimesHsiao recently bought a bag of zongzi and ate several in one sitting, Chu said. He advised people not to eat too many zongzi, as the slowdown of digestion would lead to gas buildup and other discomfort, which would exacerbate conditions such as diabetes. People with diabetes should get the disease under control, and take medication to improve stomach and bowel movement, and reduce bloating, Chu said.
Source:Taipei Times
June 28, 2020 15:56 UTC