Taiwan legislators pass contentious legislative reform bills

ANKARA

Taiwanese legislators on Tuesday passed a set of contentious legislative reforms into law that seek to expand the chamber’s powers of investigation and introduce fines for holding the legislature in contempt, local media reported. 

The opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party, which hold a legislative majority, voted through the bills days after the island’s newly-elected President William Lai Ching-te assumed his office, daily Taipei Times reported.

Over 10,000 protesters amassed outside the parliament as opposition lawmakers voted through the bills using their majority.

The legislature had deliberated the bills last week.

Critics say the proposals are “unconstitutional” and were “forced through without proper cross-party deliberation.”

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party has also vowed to file for a constitutional interpretation.

Subsumed in the approved amendments are contempt of legislature penalties of up to NT$200,000 ($6,220) for failing to appear at a hearing, refusing to answer questions, asking questions back to lawmakers, failing to provide requested documents or lying, with different fine ranges depending on the type of investigation or hearing.

They would also require officials to hand over confidential documents to lawmakers for viewing in private hearings, and compel the president to submit to regular question-and-answer sessions at the legislature.

They would require the president to deliver an annual State of the Nation Address and personally respond to questions from lawmakers.

China considers Taiwan its “breakaway province” while the self-ruled island has insisted on its independence since 1949.

Beijing also opposes Taiwan’s representation at the UN and other international organizations and demands that other countries cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

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