Cabinet passes Taiwan’s first marine policy white paper

Taipei, June 4 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Thursday passed the nation’s first marine policy white paper that provides guidelines to government branches for implementing their respective ocean-related policies, with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of the country’s marine affairs.

Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Department of Comprehensive Planning chief Shen Chien-chung (沈建中) said the white paper lists a number of concrete goals in the hope of creating a marine country that is “ecological, safe and prosperous.”

The paper also proposes methods to safeguard national marine rights and interests, such as enhancing national marine scientific knowledge, deepening diversified marine culture, creating a healthy marine environment, promoting sustainable resources, improving the development of the marine industry and promoting regional and international marine affairs cooperation, Shen told a news conference after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

According to Shen, the white paper was written in accordance with the Ocean Basic Act which was passed in November 2019.

Article 15 of the act stipulates that the central government is obliged to release the white paper within one year after the implementation of the act.

The white paper will be made public by the OAC soon, according to the Executive Yuan.

Meanwhile, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) has instructed the government at all levels to study the white paper when it is released and review related policies and measures currently in place accordingly, said Cabinet spokesman Ting Yi-ming (丁怡銘).