Talking points

Transport chiefs reveal the latest on plans for an expansion of the mainland's national highway system. The highway network ran to 4.24 million kilometres by the end of last year, and a Ministry of Transport official said last month that there were plans to expand it to six million kilometres by 2030. The ministry's chief planner, Dai Dongchang and Huang Min, director-general at the state planning agency, will brief the media on the expansion.

Nominations open in the race to be chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang, with President Ma Ying-jeou set to face competition in his bid for re-election to the post amid dismal poll ratings. Ma is likely to be opposed by Hsieh Kun-hung, a member of the KMT's central committee, as calls grow for the president to concentrate on government in his second and final term of office. Nominations close tomorrow and the election is set for July 20.