KMT and TPP Push Air Pollution Act Amendment; DPP Warns of Impact on AI Industry and Power Stability

The Legislative Yuan today passed the motion to move the Air Pollution Control Act amendment proposed by the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to a second reading. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stated that the KMT and TPP are ignoring opposition from the industrial sector, and pushing for this amendment could impact the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and the stability of corporate power supply, affecting energy supply resilience and Taiwan's economic development. DPP spokesperson Li Kun-cheng pointed out today that the KMT and TPP are attempting to legislate restrictions on energy supply resilience, which would impact the operations of the AI industry and 8,000 companies, severely affecting Taiwan's economic development. The industry has already called on KMT and TPP legislators to maintain the current management mechanism and not to amend the law recklessly. In particular, with NVIDIA's overseas headquarters recently settling in the Beitou Shilin Technology Park, the power issue for the AI industry has become a focus. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an has called on the central government to stabilize power supply, but the DPP argues that since the KMT and TPP are now attempting to force this amendment, Chiang should seek justice from them instead of blaming the central government.