1)
One of the top stories from this past week involved the legislature issuing a statement on Friday condemning China's unilateral declaration of four new flight routes passing near Taiwan. The new flight routes pass just west of the halfway line between Taiwan and China in the Taiwan Strait.
Lawmakers with the opposition Democratic Progressive Party called on the government to lodge a strong protest and demand that China withdraw its decision in order to show Taiwan's will to defend its national interests. The ruling KMT also said that the legislature needs to take a position on the matter, as it concerns both national sovereignty and aviation safety.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) has expressed strong opposition to the new routes, citing flight safety concerns. The CAA also called the routes "unacceptable" because China had not informed Taiwan about them beforehand.
The CAA said one route runs too close to the Taipei Flight Information Region, a key air transport hub in the West Pacific. They say the three other routes could affect flights between Taiwan and the outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu.
2)
Also this past week, the the government is planning to run Taiwan’s High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC). But there are no plans for financial reforms. That’s the word from government spokesman Sun Lih-chyun on Tuesday.
He said currently, the government is not planning on financial reforms for the railway, but they are preparing to run the High Speed Rail Corp. The railway could go bankrupt in the next few months, and the legislature recently turned down a proposal for financial reform.
3)
And finally this past week, the mayor of New Taipei City, Eric Chu, is set to become the next chairman of Taiwan’s ruling party, the Kuomintang (KMT).
KMT members cast their ballots to elect their new leader Saturday. The election was called after President Ma Ying-jeou resigned as party chairman to take responsibility for the KMT’s massive defeat in local elections last November.
Chu described the KMT as facing “the most difficult times”. He also said the party will stand by the people and look at what it has done wrong in the past.