This Week in Taiwan 0510-0516
May 14: In anticipation of the presidential inauguration on May 20, Cabinet officials have resigned and will be reshuffled. New ministers will be appointed to the National Development Council, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Science and Technology, Overseas Community Affairs Commission, Financial Supervisory Commission, and Hakka Affairs Council after May 20. Premier Su Tseng-chang, who has been retained by the president, said that the government is ready for the revitalization phase ahead.
May 14: The Academia Sinica confirmed that Vice President Chen Chien-jen will assume the role of “distinguished researcher” after he leaves office on May 20. The research institution plans to take advantage of Chen’s expertise in infectious diseases and public health. Because he is assuming another public office, Vice President Chen will have to give up his pension and privileges. According to regulation, the vice president will be unable to receive a pension of NT$180,000 (about US$6,000) per month and office subsidies of NT$4 million (about US$133,000) per year, but distinguished researchers of the Academia Sinica may earn a monthly salary up to NT$500,000 (about US$16,600).
May 15: The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) is scheduled to be held on May 18 and 19 by video conference. Taiwan has not yet been invited to attend but on May 15 held a video conference with 13 other countries to exchange epidemic prevention experiences. The representative of the Untied States not only commended Taiwan’s pandemic response but also reaffirmed support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO). German officials stated that they have submitted diplomatic notes to WHO Director-General Tedros Abhanom in support of Taiwan’s participation in the WHA as an observer.
May 15: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Yi-yu previously proposed to revise the Additional Articles of the Constitution and remove the “unification” clause, which created cross-strait tensions before the presidential inauguration. When the bill entered the first reading of the Legislative Yuan, Speaker You Si-kun unexpectedly announced that the sponsoring legislator wrote to withdraw the bill, and the Legislative Yuan agreed to withdraw the bill without objection. Legislator Tsai’s “constitutional bomb” in favor of formal independence was temporarily dismantled under internal pressure within the DPP. At the same time, Tsai also withdrew the bill to amend the Act Governing Cross-Strait relations, also to remove the “unification” clause.
May 15: Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu officially expressed his position on his pending recall election. He stressed that the Kaohsiung City Government has been honest, free of similar corruption scandals alleged against the previous administration, and dedicated to Kaohsiung’s development. Han called upon his supporters to just watch and not vote in the recall election or participate in political activities, so as to avoid further political polarization and conflict.
May 16: Reporters who cover the Office of the President has received multiple e-mail messages since May 15, which contains meeting minutes about how President Tsai Ing-wen planned attacks against his primary opponent Vice President-elect William Lai, how President Tsai and Premier Su Tseng-tsang secretly discussed personnel arrangements, and how the two nominees to the National Communications Commission are pro-DPP and can help deal with CTI Television, which is considered more friendly to the Kuomintang. The Office of the President claimed that the personal computer of a high-ranking official was hacked, and an overseas hacker rewrote the stolen material before forwarding to specific media reporters. Spokesman Ting Yun-kung said that the content received by the reporter is speculative, not factual, and the Office of the President has notified the police to investigate.