The Cabinet on Thursday approved draft amendments to the Building Act to improve the safety of buildings in Taiwan.
Premier Lai Ching-te said seismic resistance has become a pressing issue as the number and proportion of old buildings continue to climb. To meet the public's needs and expectations for structural safety, the amendments drafted by the Ministry of the Interior call for assistance from third-party professional groups to ensure that new buildings are designed and constructed to higher safety and quality standards. Existing buildings assessed as seismically deficient and in need of improvement should also be required to undergo reconstruction or retrofitting as early as possible.
The proposed amendments will be forwarded to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.