2017 in Taiwan explained

Events from the year 2017 in Taiwan, Republic of China. This year is numbered Minguo 106 according to the official Republic of China calendar.

Incumbents

• President – Tsai Ing-wen
• Vice President – Chen Chien-jen
• Premier – Lin Chuan, William Lai
• Vice Premier – Lin Hsi-yao, Shih Jun-ji

Events

January

• 1 January
  • The abolishment of the Special Investigation Division.^[1]
  • The increment of monthly minimum wage from NT$20,008 to NT$21,009 and hourly minimum wage from NT$126 to NT$133.^[2]
  • The reduction of annual national holidays from 19 to 12 days.^[2]
  • The increment of annual leaves from 0 to 3 days, 7 to 10 days, 10 to 14 days and 14 to 15 days for employees who have worked for 6–12 months, 2–3 years, 3–5 years and 5–10 years respectively.^[2]
  • Implementation of smoking ban at all bus stops in Taipei.^[2]
• 5 January – The opening of Taiwan High Speed Rail Museum in Taoyuan City.^[3]
• 6 January – American-born Roman Catholic priest Brendan O'Connell becomes the first foreign-born, naturalized citizen of the Republic of China.^[4]
• 7 January – Resignation of Kuomintang Deputy Chairperson Steve Chan.^[5]
• 11 January – Liaoning aircraft carrier sailed along the western side of Taiwan Strait median line.^[6]
• 17 January – The establishment of Kinmen-Matsu Joint Services Center in Kinmen.

February

• 2 February – Taoyuan International Airport MRT of Taoyuan Metro began trial runs.^[7]
• 8 February – The swearing-in of:
  • Chen Shih-chung as the Minister of Health and Welfare
  • Chen Liang-gee as the Minister of Science and Technology
  • Lin Mei-chu as the Minister of Labor
  • Lin Tsung-hsien as the Minister of Council of Agriculture^[8]
• 13 February – Tour bus accident in Nangang District, Taipei killing 33 passengers.^[9]

March

• 2 March
  • The official launch of Taoyuan Airport MRT.^[10]
  • The opening of Linkou Station in Linkou District, New Taipei.
  • The opening of Taishan Station in Taishan District, New Taipei.
  • The opening of Xinzhuang Fuduxin Station in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei.
• 10 March – The opening of Presidential branch office in Kaohsiung.^[11]
• 12 March – The founding of the People Rich Party by Chang Mu-ting.^[12]
• 15–19 March – 2017 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
• 16 March – The establishment of the Anti-Money Laundering Office.^[13]
• 18 March – The opening of Presidential branch office in Taichung.^[14]

April

• 21 April – The launch of Taiwan Halal Center at Taipei World Trade Center.^[15]

May

• 10 May – The closure of Fiji Trade and Tourism Representative Office in Taipei.^[16]
• 13 May – The opening of Sky Dream, Taiwan's largest Ferries wheel in Houli District, Taichung.
• 15 May – The final print edition of The China Post is published.^[17]
• 20 May – 2017 Kuomintang chairmanship election
• 24 May – The Judicial Yuan ruled that laws restricting same-sex marriage were unconstitutional and gave the Legislative Yuan two years to amend existing laws or create new laws so as to comply with the court's decision.^[18]

June

• 6 June – Visit of Palau Health Minister Emais Roberts to Taipei.^[19]
• 13 June – Panama switches diplomatic relations from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China.^{[20] [21]}

July

• 1 July – People's Liberation Army (PLA) Liaoning aircraft carrier entered the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) of Taiwan.^[22]
• 20 July – Eight PLA Xian H-6K bomber aircraft and one Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft flew near east and west coasts of Taiwan.^[23]
• 25 July – One PLA Xian H-6K bomber aircraft flew near Taiwan ADIZ passing through Bashi Channel and the Miyako Strait.^[23]
• 29 July – Typhoon Nesat made landfall in Taiwan.^[24]

August

• 1 August – The upgrade of Chungyu Institute of Technology in Xinyi District, Keelung to be Chungyu University of Film and Arts.
• 5 August – A group of PLA Xian H-6K bomber aircraft and one Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft flew near Taiwan ADIZ.^[23]
• 9 August – One PLA Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft flew east of Taiwan passing through the Miyako Strait.^[23]
• 13 August – Two PLA Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft flew east of Taiwan.^[23]
• 15 August
  • Tatan Power Company^[25] tripped causing blackout to northern half of Taiwan Island.
  • Economic Affairs Minister Lee Chih-kung tendered his resignation.
• 16 August – Shen Jong-chin appointed acting Minister of Economic Affairs.
• 19 August – Opening ceremony of the 2017 Summer Universiade held at Taipei Municipal Stadium.^[26]
• 30 August – Closing ceremony of the 2017 Summer Universiade held at Taipei Municipal Stadium.^[27]

September

• 8 September
  • The appointment of William Lai as the Premier of the Republic of China.
  • The appointment of Shih Jun-ji as the Vice Premier of the Republic of China.
  • The appointment of Shen Jong-chin as the Minister of Economic Affairs.
  • The appointment of Kung Ming-hsin as the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs.
  • The appointment of Chen Mei-ling as the Minister of National Development Council.
  • The appointment of Chiou Jiunn-rong (邱俊榮) as the Deputy Minister of National Development Council.
  • The appointment of Wellington Koo as the Chairperson of Financial Supervisory Commission.
  • The appointment of Lee Meng-yen as the acting Mayor of Tainan.
  • The appointment of Cho Jung-tai as the Secretary-General of Executive Yuan.
• 15 September – The disestablishment of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission.
• 26 September – The opening of Circular Line Phase I of Kaohsiung MRT.^[28]

October

• 2–8 October – 2017 OEC Kaohsiung
• 15 October – The opening of Jinlun Bridge in Taimali Township, Taitung County.

November

• 10 November – The passage of the Political Party Act by the Legislative Yuan.^[29]
• 27 November – The opening of Japanese Cultural Center in Songshan District, Taipei.
• 28 November – The appointment of Su Li-chiung as the Deputy Minister of Labor, replacing Liau Huei-fang.

December

• 5 December – The passage of the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice by the Legislative Yuan.^[30]
• 23 December – The opening of Baolai Spring Park in Liouguei District, Kaohsiung.^[31]

Deaths

• 8 January –, 69, Taiwanese politician, Secretary-General of People First Party, heart attack.^[32]
• 22 January – Chen Yu-mei, 50, Taiwanese politician, deputy minister of the OCAC (2013–14).^[33]
• 23 January – Leslie Koo, 62, Taiwanese business executive (Taiwan Cement), fall.^[34]
• 24 January –, 92, Taiwanese aeronautical engineer (AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo).^{[35] [36]}
• 9 February – Chen Hsing-ling, 92, Taiwanese military officer.^[37]
• 16 February – Wang Ben-hu, 63, Taiwanese television presenter, complications of bone marrow and intestinal cancer.^{[38] [39] [40]}
• 8 March – Li Yuan-tsu, 93, Taiwanese politician, Vice President of the Republic of China (1990–1996), kidney failure.^[41]
• 11 March – Tsui Hsiao-ping, 94, Taiwanese radio director.^[42]
• 26 March – Chen Uen, 58, Taiwanese manhua artist, heart attack.^[43]
• 8 April – Pei Pu-yen, 96, Taiwanese literary scholar, brain tumor.^{[44] [45]}
• 18 April – Li Yih-yuan, 85, Taiwanese anthropologist, complications of pneumonia.^[46]
• 20 April – Chen Lien-hua (陳蓮花), 93, Taiwanese comfort woman, intestinal infection.^{[47] [48]}
• 22 April – Lee Chi-chun, 74, Taiwanese radio presenter.^[49]
• 25 April – Hsieh Chin-ting, 81, Taiwanese politician, Miaoli County Magistrate (1981–1989).^[50]
• 27 April – Lin Yi-han, 26, Taiwanese writer, suicide by hanging.^[51]
• 15 May – Chu Ke-liang, 70, Taiwanese actor (The New Legend of Shaolin, David Loman, The Wonderful Wedding) and comedian, liver failure.^[52]
• 31 May – Jerry Martinson, 74, American-born Taiwanese Jesuit priest, heart attack.^[53]
• 10 June – Chi Po-lin, 52, Taiwanese film director (), helicopter crash.^{[54] [55]}
• 18 June – Shih Chun-jen, 93, Taiwanese neurosurgeon, Minister of the Department of Health (1986–1990), heart attack.^[56]
• 21 June –, 52, Taiwanese political commentator, brain tumor.^[57]
• Jeffrey Ying (應天華), 63, Taiwanese aviator, first Taiwanese pilot to circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine airplane, plane crash.^{[58] [59]}
• 18 July –, 66, Taiwanese businessman, (Eslite Bookstore).^{[60] [61]}
• 22 July –, 83, American-born Taiwanese Jesuit priest.^[62]
• 31 July – Liu Wen-hsiung, 62, Taiwanese politician, MLY (1999–2008).^[63]
• 22 August – Matthew Kia Yen-wen, 92, Taiwanese Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Taipei (1978–1989), Bishop of Kiayi (1970–1974) and Hwalien (1974–1978).^[64]
• 22 September –, 70, Sarawak-born Taiwanese novelist, multiple organ failure.^[65]
• 27 September – Shen Che-tsai, 91, Taiwanese painter.^[66]
• 28 September – Lee Hsin, 64, Taiwanese politician, member of the National Assembly (1996–1998) and the Taipei City Council (since 1998), suicide by jumping.^[67]
• 4 November – Cheng Ch'ing-wen, 85, Taiwanese writer.^[68]
• 16 November – Hsiao Teng-tzang, 83, Taiwanese politician, MLY (1973–1986), Minister of Justice (1988–1989).^[69]
• 19 November – Tai Chen-yao, 69, Taiwanese politician, MLY (1990–1996, 1999–2002), pancreatic cancer.^[70]
• 9 December – Ching Li, 72, Taiwanese actress.^[71]
• 14 December – Yu Kwang-chung, 89, Taiwanese poet.^[72]
• 22 December – Wang Panyuan, 109, Taiwanese painter, multiple organ failure.^[73]

Notes and References

1. News: Chen. Yu-fu. Chung. Jake. SID abolished as legislature hands prosecutors reins. 19 November 2016. Taipei Times. 19 November 2016.
2. News: Chen. Christie. Several new regulations to take effect in Taiwan on Jan. 1. 6 January 2017. Central News Agency. 31 December 2016.
3. Web site: Taiwan High Speed Rail Museum opens in Taoyuan City. 6 January 2017. Taiwan Today. 7 January 2017.
4. News: Chang. Jung-hsiang. Low. Y. F.. American priest gets ROC ID after 54 years. 6 January 2017. Central News Agency. 6 January 2017.
5. Web site: KMT Chief Deputy Chairman Steve Chan resigns. Hsin-yin. Lee. 7 January 2017. Focus Taiwan. 8 January 2017.
6. Web site: Taiwan scrambles jets, navy as China aircraft carrier enters Taiwan Strait. Michael. Perry. 10 January 2017. Reuters. 11 January 2017.
7. Web site: Airport MRT line begins test run, offers free rides. 3 February 2017. Taipei Times. 3 February 2017.
8. Web site: Four new ministers sworn in. 8 February 2017. Worthy. Shen. Hsiao-han. Yu. Ming-hsun. Chang. Li-yun. Huang. Evelyn. Kao. Focus Taiwan. 13 February 2017.
9. Web site: Death toll in tour bus crash rises to 33. 14 February 2017. Focus Taiwan. 14 February 2017.
10. Web site: Airport MRT to officially launch today. 2 March 2017. Shelley. Shan. Taipei Times. 2 March 2017.
11. Web site: Presidential Southern Office opens in Taiwan. 10 March 2017. Che-fon. Chang. Hsin-huei. Lu. Ko. Lin. Focus Taiwan. 20 March 2017.
12. News: Chen. Yu-fu. Chin. Jonathan. Pro-unification party established by composer. 13 March 2017. Taipei Times. 13 March 2017.
13. News: Chen. Wei-han. Cabinet launches Anti-Money Laundering Office. 17 March 2017. Taipei Times. 17 March 2017.
14. Web site: Presidential office opens another branch in central Taiwan. 18 March 2017. Hsueh-ching. Hau. Elaine. Hou. Focus Taiwan. 20 March 2017.
15. Web site: Taiwan Halal Center launched in Taipei. 22 May 2017. Taiwan Trade. 19 May 2018.
16. Web site: Fiji office closure not due to pressure from China: ministry. 18 May 2017. Taipei Times. 18 May 2017.
17. News: This isn't goodbye. 15 May 2017. China Post. 16 May 2017.
18. Web site: Constitutional Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage. Focus Taiwan News Channel. 24 May 2017.
19. Web site: Palau health minister vows to continue support for Taiwan's WHA bid. 6 June 2017. Ming-hsuan. Chang. Evelyn. Kao. Focus Taiwan. 8 June 2017.
20. Web site: Panama to set up official ties with China, ditching Taiwan. 13 June 2017. Central News Agency. 13 June 2017.
21. News: Chai. Scarlett. Wu. Lilian. Taiwan breaks ties with Panama (update). 13 June 2017. Central News Agency. 13 June 2017.
22. Web site: China's aircraft carrier battle group leaves Taiwan's ADIZ – Cross-Strait Affairs – FOCUS TAIWAN – CNA ENGLISH NEWS.
23. Web site: PLA flies two more planes by Taiwan. 14 August 2017. Liang-sheng. Lin. Jonathan. Chin. Taipei Times. 14 August 2017.
24. Web site: Typhoon Nesat makes landfall in Taiwan. 29 July 2017. euronews.
25. Web site: Taiwan Power Company.
26. News: Hsu. Elizabeth. UNIVERSIADE: President Tsai declares Taipei Universiade open (update). 21 August 2017. Central News Agency. 19 August 2017.
27. News: Lee. I-chia. Taipei Universiade: Taipei farewells Universiade athletes. 21 August 2017. Taipei Times. 31 August 2017.
28. Web site: Kaohsiung Light Rail to begin charging passengers Nov. 1. 23 October 2017. George. Liao. Taiwan News. 24 October 2017.
29. News: Chen. Chun-hua. Liu. Kuan-lin. Legislature passes Political Party Act. 10 November 2017. Central News Agency. 11 November 2017.
30. News: Lin. Sean. Lawmakers pass transitional justice act. 19 December 2017. Taipei Times. 6 December 2017.
31. Web site: 30 November 2017. Bulao and Baolai hot springs: the must-go places in winter. Taiwan M.I.C.E Kaohsiung. 29 July 2019.
32. Web site: PFP secretary-general dies of heart attack. Evelyn. Kao. 8 January 2017. Central News Agency. 11 January 2017.
33. News: 陳玉梅50歲病逝 曾連任多屆北市議員. 23 January 2017. Central News Agency. 22 January 2017. zh.
34. News: Wei. Shu. Low. Y. F.. TCC Group Chairman Koo Cheng-yun dies at 62. 23 January 2017. Central News Agency. 23 January 2017.
35. News: Chen. Christie. Lu. Hsin-hui. Air Force mourns death of 'Father of IDF fighter jet'. 25 January 2017. Central News Agency. 24 January 2017.
36. News: Chin. Jonathan. Aeronautics developer Mike Hua dies aged 92. 26 January 2017. Taipei Times. 26 January 2017.
37. News: Lu. Hsin-hui. Yeh. Sophia. Kuo. Chung-han. Former head of ROC Air Force Chen Hsing-ling dies. 9 February 2017. Central News Agency. 9 February 2017.
38. News: Jason. Pan. Writer Wang Benhu dies at 65, tributes pour in. 17 February 2017. Taipei Times. 17 February 2017.
39. News: Strong. Matthew. Taiwan talk show host dies aged 63. 16 February 2017. Taiwan News. 15 February 2017.
40. News: Political pundit Wang Ben-hu passes at 65. 16 February 2017. China Post. 16 February 2017.
41. News: Kuan. Jui-ping. Chen. Christie. Former vice president Lee Yuan-tsu dies at 93. 8 March 2017. Central News Agency. 8 March 2017.
42. News: Kuo. Chung-han. Radio drama director Tsui Hsiao-ping dies at 94. 12 March 2017. Central News Agency. 12 March 2017.
43. News: Wu. Po-hsuan. Yang. Yuan-ting. Chin. Jonathan. Comic book great Uen Cheng dies. 31 March 2017. Taipei Times. 31 March 2017.
44. News: Chang. Shu-ling. Kuo. Chung-han. Scholar Pei Pu-yen dies aged 96. 9 April 2017. Central News Agency. 9 April 2017.
45. News: Literary academic Pei dies. 11 April 2017. Taipei Times. 11 April 2017.
46. News: 19 April 2017. Anthropologist Li Yih-yuan dies at age 86. Chih-chung. Chen. Elizabeth. Hsu. Focus Taiwan. 20 April 2017.
47. News: Chen. Chih-chung. Hsieh. Chia-chen. Hsu. Elizabeth. Former Taiwanese comfort women dies at age of 93. 21 April 2017. Central News Agency. 20 April 2017.
48. News: Former 'comfort woman' Chen Lien-hua dies at 93. 23 April 2017. Taipei Times. 23 April 2017.
49. News: Chen. Ja-fo. Cheng. Sabine. Kuo. Chung-han. Radio presenter Lee Chi-chun dies at 74. 24 April 2017. Central News Agency. 23 April 2017.
50. News: 江 . 詩筑 . 苗栗前縣長謝金汀辭世 享壽82歲 . 29 January 2020 . China Times . 28 April 2017 . zh.
51. News: Chen. Christie. Liu. Shih-yi. Cheng. Sabine. Promising writer dies at 26 from apparent suicide. 28 April 2017. China Post. 28 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170428143447/http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201704280011.aspx. 28 April 2017. Alt URL
52. News: Comedian Chu Ke-liang is dead at 70. 15 May 2017. Central News Agency. 15 May 2017.
53. News: Hsu. Chih-wei. Yu. Kai-hsiang. Kao. Evelyn. American Jesuit priest dies days before Taiwan ID presentation. 31 May 2017. Central News Agency.
54. News: Chao. Li-yuan. Wang. Shu-fen. Lien. Hsien-feng. Wu. Lilian. Renowned director, two others killed in chopper crash. 10 June 2017. Central News Agency. 10 June 2017.
55. News: Chung. Jake. Filmmaker dies in Hualien crash. 11 June 2017. Taipei Times. 11 June 2017.
56. News: Chang. Ming-hsuan. Kuo. Chung-han. Shih Chun-jen, mentor of neurosurgeons, dies at 93. 18 June 2017. Central News Agency. 18 June 2017.
57. News: Pan. Jason. Chen Li-hung dies at 52. 23 June 2017. Taipei Times. 23 June 2017.
58. News: Pioneer Taiwanese pilot dies in plane crash in California. 27 July 2017. Taipei Times. 16 July 2017.
59. News: Day. Brian. San Marino man identified as pilot killed in El Monte plane crash. 27 July 2017. San Gabriel Valley Tribune. 15 July 2017.
60. News: Hsu. Crystal. Eslite Bookstore founder Robert Wu dies aged 66. 19 July 2017. Taipei Times. 19 July 2017.
61. News: Pan. Chih-yi. Chang. S.C.. Eslite Bookstore founder dies. 19 July 2017. Central News Agency. 19 July 2017.
62. News: Yu Hsiao-han. Hsiao-han. Chen. Christie. American priest and social work educator Daniel Ross dies at 83. 23 July 2017. Central News Agency. 22 July 2017.
63. News: Ku. Chuan. Ko. Lin. PFP official, former lawmaker Liu Wen-hsiung dies. 31 July 2017. Central News Agency. 31 July 2017.
64. Web site: Archbishop Matthew Kia Yen-wen (賈彥文). www.gcatholic.org.
65. News: Chiang. Pei-ling. Low. Y. F.. Novelist Lee Yung-ping dies aged 70. 22 September 2017. Central News Agency. 22 September 2017.
66. News: 畫家沈哲哉辭世 享壽92歲. 28 March 2018. China Daily News. Yahoo! Taiwan. 27 September 2017.
67. News: Chiu. Chun-fu. Kuo. An-chia. Chin. Jonsthan. Taipei councilor falls to his death. 29 September 2017. Taipei Times. 29 September 2017.
68. News: Chiang. Pei-ling. Liu. Kuan-lin. Renowned Taiwanese author dies at 85. 4 November 2017. Central News Agency. 4 November 2017.
69. News: 前法務部長蕭天讚辭世 享壽83歲. 17 November 2017. Liberty Times. 16 November 2017. zh.
70. News: Tsai pledges to carry out last wishes of farmer's rights activist. 20 November 2017. Radio Taiwan International. 19 November 2017.
71. News: 邵氏影星井莉去世享年72岁 作品超过50部. 14 December 2017. Xinhua News Agency. 11 December 2017. zh. https://web.archive.org/web/20171215001259/http://www.hn.xinhuanet.com/2017-12/11/c_1122090536.htm. 15 December 2017. dead.
72. News: Gan. Nectar. Poet Yu Kwang-chung dies in Taiwan aged 89. 14 December 2017. South China Morning Post. 14 December 2017.
73. News: Lo. Yuan-shao. Yen. William. Nationally renowned master painter passes away aged 109. 6 January 2018. Central News Agency. 22 December 2017.