President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday stood by his pledge to change the names of all relevant government agencies to "Taiwan" to avoid confusing the international community.
Chen made the remarks last night while stumping for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative candidates at a campaign rally in Miaoli County.
PHOTO: TSAI CHANG-SHENG, TAIPEI TIMES
He said that apart from government agencies based in countries that recognize Taiwan, where the national designation will remain "Republic of China," all agencies will change the country's name to "Taiwan" to emphasize the distinction between Taiwan and China.
During a speech endorsing candidates running in the county, Chen told the crowd he would be a lame-duck president if the pan-green camp was not able to control the legislature. He said Taiwan could no longer afford to engage in "social chaos" and allow "one or a couple of persons' hatred exhaust the nation" and prevent it from making any progress.
"On March 20, you gave me a chance with a second term in office. To allow me to do my work as president, I appeal to you for your support and to give me a clear pan-green majority in the new legislature so that I can deliver the promises I made during my re-election campaign," Chen said.
He urged voters to use their ballots on Saturday "to give Taiwan a chance for love, a chance for national unity."
Chen said a pan-green camp majority in the legislature would also strengthen his hand when dealing with China.
Among the other DPP heavyweights who took the stage last night to root for Miaoli candidates Tu Wen-ching (
In a bid for increased support in Miaoli, a region with a high concentration of Hakka residents and a traditional blue-camp stronghold, Yeh -- a Hakka herself -- and Su campaigned on the DPP administration's record of promoting Hakka culture, including the establishment of a dedicated TV channel and departments for Hakka studies in universities.
With Taiwan entering the final days of the campaign, starting today Chen will attend three or four campaign rallies nationwide every day in a last ditch effort to canvass support.
In related news, the director of the DPP's Taipei City headquarters, Huang Ching-lin (
Huang said his office applied for permission last week to hold the event, which is anticipated to attract at least 100,000 supporters.
Locations such as the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Zhongshan Soccer Stadium and the old Sung-shan Tobacco Factory had all been turned down by the Taipei City Government, citing late applications or traffic concerns, Huang said.
Huang said the city government was acting out of political interests, a charge which city government spokesman Yu Tze-hsiang (游梓翔) denied yesterday.
The DPP will continue looking for a more suitable location, Huang said, though the chapter had already booked Shipai Junior High School for the rally, which can only fit 20,000 people.
Also see story:
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
RSS