Lai outlines plans for new defense, health care, climate committees

Taipei, June 19 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday outlined plans to establish three special committees to enhance Taiwan's defense, promote health care and tackle climate change.

The National Climate Change Response Committee, the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee will be established under the Presidential Office and presided over by Lai himself.

According to the plans, representatives from government, industry and academia will also be present on the committees, which will meet every three months.

However, the Presidential Office has yet to disclose when the three committees will be formally established.

Lai, who was speaking at his first press event since taking office on May 20, told reporters that the committees would be tasked with formulating strategies for national development, enhancing communication with the public and accelerating policy implementation.

The president added that the committees would aim to "deepen cooperation with the international community."

According to Lai, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Secretary-General to the President Pan Men-an (潘孟安) will sit on the committee on social resilience as deputy conveners.

Lai did not detail what the committee would seek to achieve but stressed the need to expand the training and applications of "civilian forces," ensure sufficient stocks of essential supplies and shelters, and bolster energy and critical infrastructure security.

He also emphasized "the need to conduct a comprehensive review" of the current situation and propose solutions and approaches to strengthening Taiwan's national defense and disaster prevention capabilities.

"Only when all members of the society possess a strong will for self-defense and full confidence in themselves can they respond effectively to various disasters and risks," Lai added.

The committee on health care, meanwhile, will have former Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), currently a minister without portfolio under the Executive Yuan, as one of its deputy conveners.

Chen will be joined by Wong Chi-huey (翁啟惠), president of the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry, and Chen Jyh-hong (陳志鴻), a cardiologist at the Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital.

According to Lai, the committee will work to expedite the implementation of policy proposals made during his presidential campaign, including the establishment of a NT$10 billion (US$309 million) fund to fight cancer.

The committee will not only aim to improve health care services for all in Taiwan but also seek international cooperation in the post-pandemic era, he added.

The third committee on climate change response will be tasked with strategizing policies to enhance the country's resilience to potential extreme weather events in the future and help to facilitate the policy goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, according to the president.