Interview with Mayor Jason Hu

Jason Hu, the mayor of Taichung since 2001, is considered one of the most popular figures in the main opposition party, the Kuomintang. Holder of a doctorate in international relations from Oxford, he has held such major government posts as director-general of the Government Information Office, representative to the United States, and foreign minister. He was interviewed by TOPICS- editor-in-chief Don Shapiro.

The statute introduces elements familiar to American businesses, such as employer payroll contributions and tax-free employee contributions.

By RACHEL CHIAO AND STEVEN J. HANLEY

A new session of the Legislative Yuan began this month on an unseemly note. The pandemonium that reigned on opening day underscored the continued acrimonious state of relations between the ruling and opposition parties, raising concern about the prospects for a productive legislative agenda. The business community - domestic as well as foreign - needs reassurance that political divisiveness will not be permitted to interfere with the passage of important pieces of legislation affecting the country's economic well-being. Where differences of opinion exist, it is essential that rational and cool-headed discussion prevail, leading to effective compromise for the broader public interest.

BY RICHARD R. VUYLSTEKE