Taiwan legislature reviews drone bills; state firms eye bonuses; drug smuggling, oil scandal, and academic integrity issues surface

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has moved forward with reviewing four draft bills concerning unmanned vehicles, a move that saw the ruling and opposition parties assert their numerical advantage. The bills, including versions from the Executive Yuan, the Kuomintang (KMT) caucus, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucus, and a proposal by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lin Chu-yin, have been sent to the committees on economics, finance, and foreign affairs and defense for joint review.

The KMT and TPP caucuses successfully pushed for the bills to be reviewed by these three committees, despite opposition from the DPP. Legislators from the ruling party held up signs reading "Support national defense resilience" and "Support drones, don't play fake games," highlighting the political maneuvering involved.

In economic news, Taiwan's four major state-owned enterprises, CPC Corporation (oil and gas), Taipower (electricity), Taiwan Sugar Corporation, and Taiwan Water Corporation, met their statutory budget surplus targets for the past year. After accounting for policy-driven losses, these companies are eligible for performance bonuses of up to 2.4 months' salary. Combined with the Executive Yuan's approval of "A" ratings for their annual performance, employees could receive bonuses totaling up to 4.4 months' salary, though the Ministry of Economic Affairs clarified that not all employees will receive the maximum amount.

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Support drones, don't play fake games.

Meanwhile, the nation faces a growing challenge with the smuggling and abuse of new synthetic drugs. The National Security Bureau's latest report to the legislature indicates that "etomidate" and its precursor, "etomidate acid," are primary concerns, with China being the main source. To combat this, police agencies are establishing drone units and enhancing personnel training, including practical exercises on drone operation and analysis techniques.

Separately, a food safety scandal has emerged involving soybean salad oil contaminated with the carcinogen benzopyrene. The issue, originating from Zhonglian Oil, has affected major brands like Taishan, Fwusow, and Formosa Oils, with over 1,300 metric tons of oil potentially impacted. Investigations reveal at least 300 businesses nationwide are involved, though only about 17 metric tons have been recalled so far. The contamination is suspected to stem from imported soybean raw materials.

In an effort to maintain academic integrity, several universities are revising their student disciplinary regulations. These changes will allow institutions to initiate disciplinary actions, including the revocation of degrees, for students who committed serious offenses during their studies, even if discovered up to a year after graduation. This measure addresses situations where misconduct might only come to light after a student has already graduated.

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Imported soybean raw materials may be the main cause.