This Week in Taiwan 1030-1105
October 31: The China Youth Corps (CYC) launched a demonstration on October 30, taking to the streets for the first time to defend its rights and interests.
In 2018, the CYC was identified as an affiliate organization of the Kuomintang (KMT) by the Ill-Gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, and its assets were taken over, making it difficult to operate the organization. Despite much rain on October 30, the demonstration was divided into three groups, with participants wearing raincoats and holding the national and CYC flags. Former President Ma Ying-jeou, former Vice President Annette Lu, and Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wang-an attended to support the CYC.
October 31: The Foreign and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan began to review the defense budget. Both ruling and opposition party legislators were concerned about the delay of many plans for arms sales and indigenously manufactured arms purchases. Legislator Wen Yu-hsia of the KMT indicated that the United States will sell Taiwan high-efficiency anti-armor missiles (tow-type missiles) according to the plan and hand over 460 missiles this year. However, it has not transferred one. In addition, 400 Javelin missiles were supposed to be delivered this year, but none has been received thus far. Delivery will be postponed to the next two years, with 200 missiles delivered each year.
November 1: The relocation ceremony for the new United States plant of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will be held in December. President Joe Biden will personally attend to witness this historic investment.
TSMC stated that construction of the Arizona fab started about 18 months ago, and construction is progressing as expected, and mass production will begin in 2024. In December, TSMC will invite guests, including customers, suppliers, academia, and government representatives to celebrate the important "first tool-in" milestone.
November 3: The local elections are approaching. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that the quarantine period for people who test positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) will be shortened to "5+n" starting from November 14. After five days of quarantine, they can go out regardless of whether the rapid test is negative or positive. However, those who have tested positive need to manage themselves and are not permitted to dine publicly or go to crowded places.
November 3: As Taiwan counts down to the local elections, the prosecution mobilized police to investigate bribery and curb violence. Chief Prosecutor Chang Tou-hui of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office has been stationed for three consecutive days in the hot spots of election bribery in central and southern Taiwan. The National Police Administration, Ministry of the Interior, assessed that Miaoli, Yunlin, Changhua, Yilan, Nantou, and Hualien counties have fiercely competitive elections and listed them as key areas for investigation for bribery, illegal cash flows, and election gambling. However, that the six counties are all ruled by the KMT has invited speculation.
November 4: Cheng Sheng-kuang, a Taiwanese man aged 25 who joined the Ukrainian volunteer army, was injured and died of blood loss during a battle with the Russian army in Luhansk. Cheng's family also confirmed the news that he was the first Taiwanese killed in the war in Ukraine.
It is understood that about 10 Taiwanese responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for international volunteers to assist in the fight against Russia, and they were distributed to navy or garrison units.
November 4: The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) approved the extension of the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Medigen vaccine with 14 votes in favor and none against. The Medigen vaccine was reviewed and approved by an expert meeting of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MOHW, and passed the protection efficacy assessment. Excluding the weekend, it was only four days from Medigen's last-minute supplementary report on October 28 to the announcement on the evening of November 3. The speed of review and approval has attracted social scrutiny.
According to Wang Pi-sheng, who heads the CECC, the Medigen vaccine not only meets but far exceeds standards, so the EUA was granted.
November 5: Recently, a fraud group in Tamsui District, New Taipei, published high-paying job advertisements on the Internet to deceive job seekers and then violently control them. On November 1, Tamsui police arrested eight suspects and rescued 26 people who were detained in Tamsui. On November 3, 32 people were rescued in Zhongli District, Taoyuan. It was also discovered that three people were tortured to death, and their bodies abandoned. Two bodies were found in the mountain areas of Guishan District, Taoyuan, and another was found around Sun Moon Lake.