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Today’s biggest stories from around Taiwan.
Tsai welcomes hackers to help build a better government
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) believes that the government should work closely with local hackers to help improve government cyber security and create a more open and transparent government, Taiwan People News reports. Tsai spoke today at HITCON Pacific 2016 and encouraged more conversations between hackers and the government to not only create a more efficient government but also a better environment for the future “digital economy.” Audrey Tang (唐鳳), Tsai’s “digital minister,” has started recruiting netizens from Taiwan online forum PTT to join her team, United Daily News reports.
Taiwan government strikes against cheap tour packages
The Tourism Bureau announced that it will stop providing subsidies for travel agencies that provide free or cheap tour packages for Taiwanese and will conduct background checks on these agencies. The Executive Yuan and Tourism Bureau announced on Nov 4. that they would allocate NT$300 million (US$10 million) to help local travel agencies recover from the impact of the declining number of Chinese tourists. The bureau hoped the agencies could use the subsidies to design better travel packages to attract foreign and local tourists. However since then, a few travel agencies have instead used the money to provide “zero dollar packages” or “cheap tour packages” for locals, Liberty Times reports. Executive Yuan spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said the government’s subsidies were intended to help improve the current condition of local tourism, not provide cheap or free tours for locals.
AIT former director calls for stronger connection between the U.S. and Taiwan
On Nov. 30, former Director of American Institute in Taiwan William Stanton (司徒文) published an article on the website of Global Taiwan Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank. He called on Taiwan to inform the Trump administration on Taiwan’s geo-strategic importance and said that Trump has to prepare a detailed and careful position towards Taiwan, CNA reports. Stanton’s advice for Trump includes showing support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, negotiating with Taiwan on bilateral free trade agreements, holding regular meetings between U.S. and Taiwan officials, and standing by the Taiwan Relations Act, Focus Taiwan reports.
Children of foreigners unable to work in Taiwan
A Taipei Times article highlights the issue of children of foreign permanent residents in Taiwan not being able to work in the country even though it is where they grew up. The National Development Council is drafting a special act for foreign professionals and their families while Kuomintang legislator Jason Hsu (許毓仁) has also proposed law amendments that will allow dual nationality and extend residency granted to a foreigner to their spouse and children.
Former President Ma answers questions at Taipei District Prosecutors Office
Former President Ma Ying-jieu (馬英九) arrived at the Taipei District Prosecutors Office this afternoon to respond to allegations of being responsible for former State Prosecutor-General Huang Shyh-ming's (黃世銘) leaking of confidential information. The suit was filed by Ko Chien-ming (柯建銘), who has accused Ma of encouraging Huang to leak information about an ongoing investigation into former Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) in 2013.
Editor: Olivia Yang