This Week in Taiwan 0614-0620
June 16: The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) notified that Taiwan is no longer designated as a food-and-mouth disease zone. After 24 years of efforts, Taiwan (including Penghu and Matsu but excluding Kinmen) will be classified as a non-epidemic area for which vaccines would not be necessary. It is expected that fresh pork may be exported in the second half of this year. The first patch will likely target the markets of Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau.
June 17: The Ministry of Education finally announced the policy related to how overseas students may return to Taiwan. The overseas students will be limited to those from 11 low-risk countries and territories, including Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. Graduating students will receive priority, and returning students will be subject to out-of-school quarantine hotels for 14 days. However, mainland Chinese students, which comprise the greatest number, are not yet included in this initial opening list.
June 17: The pandemic has slowed down within Taiwan. The Central Epidemic Command Center decided that effective June 22, the mandatory in-home quarantine will be shortened to seven days or five days from 14 days for business travelers from 15 medium and low-risk countries and territories. Those who test negative may travel on a limited basis to conduct business activities.
June 19: The Taipei District Court ruled that the artifacts, including diaries, composed by Presidents Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo during their tenure are owned by the state and should be managed by the Academia Historica. The diaries composed outside their presidential terms belong to the family. The case may be appealed.
June 20: The Office of the President was originally scheduled to announce nominees to the Control Yuan. However, because the vice-presidential nominee to the Control Yuan, former Taitung County Magistrate Justin Huang, has faced bribery charges in the past, many within the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) protested, and the nomination press conference was suddenly canceled. As for the Control Yuan presidential nominee Chen Chu, there are currently 58 plead cases, including three impeachment cases and 30 redress cases, which are related to her tenure as Kaohsiung mayor. The controversy stirred by the nomination of Chen and Huang can be said to be the most significant in Taiwan’s history. Huang and another Control Yuan nominee, Chen Shen-hsien, announced that they would withdraw from the nomination process.