Cabinet accepts party caucus consensus on budget cuts in Legislature
01/26/2021 11:16 PM
Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (right) hosts cross-party negotiation. CNA photo Jan. 26, 2021
Taipei, Jan. 26 (CNA) The Cabinet said Tuesday that it will accept an agreed reduction of the government s proposed 2021 budget by NT$25.5 billion (US$910.13 million), after the ruling and opposition parties in the Legislature reached a consensus during their ongoing negotiation.
The lawmakers, led by Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), agreed last Friday to cuts totaling NT$25.5 billion, or around 1.18 percent of the total NT$2.1615 trillion in planned expenditures.
In comparison to the Cabinet s proposal, the lawmakers planned budget contains 20 percent less for public relations by government agencies, 5 percent less for subsidies to local governments, and 3 percent less for spending on military equipment and facilities.
Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) China sent a record-high number of military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Saturday, a move aimed at flexing its military muscle to new U.S. President Joe Biden, military experts said Saturday.
Taipei, Jan. 23 (CNA) Taoyuan in northern Taiwan registered the largest population growth among the six special municipalities in the country in 2020, according to data released on Saturday by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI).
Recalled Taoyuan councilor dismissed from office
01/22/2021 11:01 PM
Wang Hao-yu. CNA file photo
Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) Taoyuan City Councilor Wang Hao-yu (王浩宇), who was recently recalled by his district voters, was officially removed from office on Friday, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC), an agency responsible for managing Taiwan s local and national elections.
Under Taiwanese law, Wang, from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), will be banned from running for the same post over the next four years.
Citing the Local Government Act, the commission said no by-election to fill the vacancy will be held as the remaining term of Wang s tenure is less than two years and the number of vacant seats in the Taoyuan City Council has not reached 50 percent of the total.
Nuclear power plant referendum set to take place in August
01/22/2021 09:48 PM
The Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei. CNA file photo
Taipei, Jan. 22 (CNA) A national referendum on activating the long-mothballed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei will be held on Aug. 28, after the Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed the date that was already set in stone in the Referendum Act.
The Referendum Act stipulates that national referendums can only be held once every two years starting from 2021 and only on the fourth Saturday of August during those years.
The CEC said in a statement Friday that polling stations will be open on Aug. 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.