Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
"How can you embark on a `thanksgiving and unity tour' when you don't work to unite party headquarters first?" said Chiu Teh-hung (
KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (
party integration
Saying he is not against Lien soliciting support from the grassroots, Chiu said the priority should be integrating views within the party, noting discrepancies over the party's political stance and Lien's recent proposal to merge the KMT with the People First Party (PFP).
"The party authorities should first work to integrate their own views and establish a common base on the party's direction before touring towns and asking the grassroots to unite behind the party," Chiu said.
Chiu is a member of the "Chunghsing [rejuvenation] Elite Group" (
The group has been urging the party since the March 20 presidential election to step up internal reforms.
Niu Tso-hsun (鈕則勳), a member of another group of young KMT members called the "567 alliance," said Lien's tour "should be one that focuses on listening to what local supporters really think and want."
"Reform should be the thrust of Lien's tour," Niu said, adding that he hopes the tour can help the party form a democratic system internally and gather opinions from the bottom up.
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Lo Chin-ming (
"Lien might not have realized that his moves these past couple of months have turned off many of the so-called light-blues among his supporters in central and southern Taiwan and led to a significant drop in his support rate in these areas," Lo said.
"Some KMT members seeking seats in central and southern Taiwan are actually secretly hoping that Lien will not stump for them," Lo said. "They view Lien as possible poison to their electoral outlook."
more harm than good
Chiu said some KMT members are finding their party affiliation a liability.
"There are people who want to be nominated by the party for December's legislative election, but they refrain from mentioning the KMT when they interact with locals for their support," said Chiu, who is also chief of staff for the vice speaker of the Miaoli County Council.
Chiu said that, due to the party leadership's preoccupation with the presidential election at the expense of reforms and the upcoming legislative elections, KMT members are skirting party headquarters and working on their own to win local support as they prepare for December.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from