American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday reviewed his efforts to promote Taiwan’s participation on the international stage, as well as security cooperation, economic and commercial ties, and people-to-people exchanges between Taiwan and the US.
Speaking at a virtual farewell media event, Christensen reiterated the role that the US’ Taiwan Relations Act and the “six assurances” play as the backbone of Washington’s policy on Taiwan.
“Since I took on this role in 2018, the United States has notified more than US$16.9 billion in sales of defense articles to Taiwan, including traditional platforms, such as F-16 jets and M1 tanks, as
CEC approves three more referendums for August
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICES: The referendums include two proposed by the KMT to end certain US pork imports and change how referendums are scheduled
Staff writer, with CNA
The Central Election Commission (CEC) on Friday approved three referendum proposals, bringing to four the number of national referendums to be held in August.
The three proposals just added are about the protection of a coastal algal reef, pork imports containing traces of the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine and referendum scheduling.
Each of the referendum initiatives passed the second hurdle, which requires at least 289,667 endorsement signatures from eligible voters based on the most recent presidential election, the commission said.
Cabinet can propose its own LNG referendum
By Chen Wen-ching 陳文卿
The date has been set for a referendum on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project near algal reefs on the coast of Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音).
Although the Cabinet is willing to discuss the project and has adopted some suggestions offered by environmental groups, it is still rejected by other environmental groups.
Few people have a thorough understanding of the project’s ecological, environmental, energy and engineering implications, and rigorous thinking is needed to foresee the effects that either outcome passing or not passing the referendum would have.
LNG plans already take measures to mind reefs
By Liou Je-wei 劉哲瑋
The government’s energy transition plan includes the nation’s third liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at the Guantang Industrial Park (觀塘工業區) off Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音).
Because it is close to algal reefs, some environmental protection groups are promoting a referendum on the plan in an attempt to block construction of the terminal and protect the reefs.
To avoid a trainwreck, the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Monday announced that the terminal would be built a further 455m offshore at 1.2km. Doing so would eliminate the need for dredging in the reef area and minimize the impact of the construction on the environment.
Environmental groups split over Cabinet plan to relocate LNG project
05/04/2021 10:20 PM
Environmental groups protest outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei on Monday. CNA photo May 3, 2021
Taipei, May 4 (CNA) A government proposal to relocate a controversial liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, moving it further away from the algae reefs on Taiwan s north coast, drew mixed responses from environmental groups Tuesday.
Responding to the Cabinet s relocation plan that was released Monday, some environmental groups said it was the best compromise, while others panned it as ineffective.
Rescue Datan s Algal Reefs Alliance, which initiated a national referendum on the project, said the government had failed to explore all possible alternatives to the current LNG terminal, which is being built off the coast of Datan Borough in Taoyuan.