This Week in Taiwan 0705-0711

July 5: Former President Ma Ying-jeou attended the closing ceremony of a Kuomintang (KMT) youth camp and called upon mainland China to recognize "one China, with respective interpretations" as the essence of the 1992 Consensus. According to Ma, the 1992 Consensus is the gentlest way for the mainland to acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China. He also urged the KMT to de-stigmatize the 1992 Consensus, and clarified that the 1992 Consensus is not equivalent to "One Country, Two Systems."  

July 7: Premier Su Tseng-chang announced that Taiwan will equip its elementary and junior high schools with air conditioning by the summer of 2022. Electric improvements and installation of air-conditioning will cost about NT$32.3 billion (about US$1 billion) and will be budged for in the second phase of the Forward-Looking Infrastructure Development Program. Based upon the local fiscal situation, the central government will subsidize 70 to 90 percent of the related costs.

July 10: The Legislative Yuan conducted a vote on the appointees to the Examination Yuan. The KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucuses did not participate in the vote, and the New Power Party (NPP) caucus voted "no." Huang Jong-tsun and Chou Hung-hsien were confirmed as president and vice president of the Examination Yuan by a majority vote. Appointees to the National Communications Commission were also confirmed by a majority vote.

July 10: The Control Yuan released a breakdown of political contributions in the 2020 presidential election. Public relations constituted the largest area of spending for both the KMT and the Democratic Progressive party (DPP). A major sum went to political public relations firms which specialize in online marketing. Two public relations firm which are friendly to the DPP received 59 fees from President Tsai Ing-wen's campaign, totaling nearly NT$30 million (about US$1 million).

July 10: The Council of Agriculture (COA), Executive Yuan, stated that cattle nodule rash was reported in Kinmen on July 8. It is speculated that the cattle disease spread to Kinmen from China's Fujian Province. Effective July 10, a ban will be imposed on the importation of Kinmen beef to Taiwan, and efforts to disinfect ships and machines will be strengthened. This is the first case of cattle nodule rash reported in Taiwan. According to the COA, the Kinmen animal test site housed a total of 23 cattle, which have been slaughtered. Another 525 cattle will be slaughtered. No other cases were found in 47 other cattle farms within a radius of 3 kilometers.

July 10: The U.S. Department of State announced on July 10 arms sales to Taiwan totaling US$620 million, which includes extending the life of PAC-3 anti-aircraft missiles. This is the seventh arms sale to Taiwan under President Donald Trump.

July 11: The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan, prepared draft regulations on hired personnel. In the future, government posts may be filled by hires as well as traditional civil servants by examination. A hired person who meets relevant regulations may assume after three years of service official posts and become a "quasi-civil servant." The draft regulations have sparked controversy over harming the civil service system, allowing the incumbent government to fill its political supporters.

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