Just eight hours after leaving the scene of his election celebration the previous night, President-elect Chen Shui-bian (
"It was the last wish of chairman Huang to see the DPP win the election. Now that we have, I must share this moment with him," Chen said, upon approaching the graveyard in Pali, Taipei County.
Accompanied by Vice President-elect Annette Lu (
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Lu said she regretted that Huang could not live long enough to see the democratic achievements he had worked for, but she said Chen and herself would carry the flame of his spirit in their endeavors to strengthen Taiwan's democracy over the next four years.
Their concerns were quickly brought back to the task at hand, however, as reporters quizzed the pair on their plans for the period up until their May 20 inauguration.
During the trip to the graveyard, Chen had confirmed that President Lee Teng-hui (
Yet before Chen and Lu could engage in preparations for building their own administration, there was still some thanks to give elsewhere, they said.
Chen and Lu made their first stop at the Central Election Commission (CEC,
However, Chen gave a hint of his plans for government reform during a meeting with Huang Shih-cheng (
He suggested that "impartial social figures" should be employed to carry out the functions of the commission at the central and local government levels, rather than government officials.
Next on the schedule was Ting Yuan-chin (
Speculation has been rife that Ting might be pulled into Chen's Cabinet as Minister of the Interior, as Chen had said prior to the election that a police officer would be his ideal candidate for the post.
Yesterday, however, Chen was giving nothing away, saying only that the appointment would need the input of the future premier.
It was not all plain sailing yesterday, as Chen had to respond to the protests in front of President Lee's residence and outside the KMT headquarters.
Chen said all three of the previous candidates had an obligation to stabilize the political situation.
"The end of the election is the beginning of reconciliation," he said, calling on supporters of James Soong, who formed the nucleus of the protest, to respect the country's leader regardless of political affiliation.
Chen set off later in the evening for stops at two major temples in Taipei.
A large crowd gathered to greet him at Hsintien Temple on Minsheng East Road.
"Hello, Mr President!" they chanted in unison.
Ten minutes after making an offering to the temple's gods, Chen's entourage set off for Lungshan Temple in the Wanhua (
Temple officials beat drums and rang bells to welcome the president-elect, while neighborhood residents set off firecrackers.
Considering the task that lies ahead of Chen and Lu, staff aides said, it was with relief that they then called it a day.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
The WHO ignored early COVID-19 warnings from Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on Friday, as part of justification for Washington withdrawing from the global health body. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the US was pulling out of the UN agency, as it failed to fulfill its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO “ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist, O’Neill wrote on X on Friday, Taiwan time. “It ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns.” The US will “continue international coordination on infectious
RSS