Report card on illegal factories is out: how has Tsai Ing-wen performed?

The Executive Yuan had originally planned to deliver a special report to the Legislative Yuan in early July on the overall direction for handling illegal factories, but because the proposal was not submitted until July 2, there was no time to place it on the agenda of the extraordinary session. In July and August, the Executive Yuan will continue discussions on the more controversial parts to reach consensus. This resolution will determine where illegal factories go from here, and when farmland can return to a healthy and safe production environment.

In 2010, the government introduced the "temporary factory registration system," allowing factories already in existence before March 14, 2008, as long as they fell under low-pollution industry categories "recognized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs" and obtained environmental protection and fire safety documents, to obtain "temporary factory registration" and continue operating until June 2, 2017, during which period they were exempt from any administrative penalties related to land or buildings. This guidance mechanism was amended in 2014, extending the 7-year guidance period to 10 years, until 2020. Now, with the guidance period about to expire, the Executive Yuan has launched discussions on a new plan for handling illegal factories. The three main measures currently still in effect are the inventory of illegal factories, guidance toward legal operation, and incorporation into management. How effective have they been so far?