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President Ma Ying-jeou delivered the final New Year’s address of his presidency. In his speech on January 1st, Ma called on Taiwan’s next president to continue conducting cross-strait relations under the framework of the 1992 Consensus.
The 1992 Consensus is a tacit agreement between Taiwan and China. It holds that there is only “one China”, but that each has its own interpretation of what one China means. Ma said that the 1992 Consensus has proven effective during his seven years in office.
The president also said that Taiwan cannot afford to reject nuclear power or any other source of energy.
As for upgrading and restructuring local industries, Ma said that Taiwan cannot rely on itself alone, and that the next administration must open up the nation’s economy to the world.
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Also this past week, the legislature passed three acts that set out new regulations for the conservation and management of land.
The National Land Planning Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act and the Wetlands Conservation Act are the result of the government’s long-term push for new strategies for land management. The efforts began in 2009 after Typhoon Morakot brought catastrophic damage to Taiwan.
Interior Minister Chen Wei-zen said Wednesday that the National Land Planning Act will divide Taiwan’s land into different zones. It will limit urban planning to dedicated “rural development areas” in order to conserve other areas for agricultural development.
The government will set up a national land sustainability fund of NT$50 billion (about US$1.5 billion) in the next ten years to cover the costs of the conservation and restoration of damaged land.
The other two acts detail management strategies for Taiwan’s coastal areas and wetlands.
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And finally, this past week, CNN has included two buildings scheduled to open in Taipei this year on a list of nine international landmarks to look forward to in 2016.
The Tao Zhu Yin Yuan Tower, designed by French architect Vincent Callebaut, is a spiraling residential tower that will also be one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the world once it opens.
Taiwan’s capital will also see the opening of the Taipei Performing Arts Center in 2016. This center is square-shaped, and features a gigantic round ball and rectangle protruding from its sides. It was designed by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of architectural partnership OMA.