Lawmakers urge government to include blue-collar workers in talent program
By Angelica Oung / Staff reporter
Highly skilled blue-collar workers are being excluded from government attempts to attract foreign talent, lawmakers yesterday told a joint meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee, Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, and Education and Culture Committee.
Draft amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及雇用法修正草案) seek to ease requirements for foreign white-collar employees who want to work in Taiwan, but in-demand blue-collar workers face much more onerous rules, Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Ann Kao (高虹安) said.
“There are many migrant workers who come to Taiwan to work in our tech factories on the production lines under the Employment Service Act (就業服務法),” Kao said. “They are highly skilled workers, yet they are limited to 12 to 14 years h
Law and Order: Tsai apologizes over crime links
TAINTED IMAGE: The president apologized to DPP supporters for the party’s failure to prevent gang-affiliated people from joining the party and causing controversy
By Chien Hui-ju, Jason Pan and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporters, with staff writer
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Wednesday offered a public apology, following media reports of a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member being affiliated with an organized crime group, and said that the party would tighten its review mechanism to screen out unqualified people.
“In recent days, reports on gang activities and crime have been linked to the DPP’s internal management of party membership. These have led to criticism and have tarnished our party’s image,” said Tsai, who is also the DPP chairperson, at the party’s headquarters in Taipei.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday accused the government of conducting “surveillance of the opposition” after the installation of CCTV cameras in front of its office in the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
KMT Legislator Alex Fai (費鴻泰) told a conference outside the legislative chamber that the cameras which have facial recognition and sound recording capabilities were installed without the caucus’ assent.
The lack of such devices outside the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus office just down the corridor suggests the decision was politically motivated, Fai said, asking: “When did Taiwan become a police state?”
KMT caucus secretary-general Chen Li-wen (鄭麗文)
Cyberattack confirmed, but Quanta ‘unaffected’
‘REVIL’ PLOT: Legislator Ann Kao called on the government to help tech companies to combat cyberattacks, as most lack proper experts in the field
Staff writer, with CNA
Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) yesterday confirmed that it had recently been subject to a cyberattack, but said that its operations have not been affected.
“Quanta Computer’s information security team has worked with external [information technology] experts in response to cyberattacks on a small number of Quanta servers,” the company said in a statement.
“We’ve reported to and have maintained seamless communications with the relevant law enforcement and data protection authorities concerning recent abnormal activities. There has been no material impact on the company’s business operations,” it said.
US delegation wraps up three-day visit to Taipei
SEEKING CLARITY: Some members of the US delegation asked KMT legislators in a meeting to address their party’s position on the so-called ‘1992 consensus,’ sources said
By Chen Yun / Staff reporter, with CNA
A US delegation tasked by US President Joe Biden to reaffirm the country’s commitment to its partnership with Taiwan yesterday wrapped up a three-day visit to Taipei.
Former US senator Chris Dodd, former US deputy secretaries of state Richard Armitage and James Steinberg, and US Department of State Office of Taiwan Coordination Director Dan Biers departed at 11:20am on a private jet.