Taiwan parliament starts new session

The new Taiwanese parliament began its new session on Friday, with 30 priority bills, seeking a reform of the island's political system.

The current Speaker, Su Jia-chyuan of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), will succeed ruling Kuomintang Party's (KMT) Wang Jin-pyng who led the legislative branch for the last 17 years, EFE news reported.

With only 35 out of 113 seats, this is the first time in the history of Taiwan's Parliament that the KMT does not have an absolute majority.

The DPP, with 68 of the 113 seats, seeks to enact laws of political transition, gradual phasing-out of nuclear energy, pension for the elderly and monitoring agreements with China, announced the party's parliamentary spokesperson Ker Chien-ming.

Other projects led by the DPP include "transitional justice" and of opening secret government archives to the public, Ker added.

The KMT, which for the first time in its history is in a minority in the Parliament, will support the priority projects of the government, a package of legislative reforms and reform of the law of parties and party properties, said its parliamentary chief, Lai Shyh-bao.

With the start of the new parliamentary session in Taiwan, the island begins a transition period until May 20.