Embattled President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen made the remarks while delivering a speech to supporters from his hometown in Tainan County at a gathering in Taipei.
Also on hand were Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Presidential Office Secretary-General Mark Chen (陳唐山), the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP's) Taipei mayoral candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), as well as several DPP legislators.
Chen, facing public demands for his ouster in the wake of a series of corruption and embezzlement allegations implicating family members, in-laws and top aides, said he was particularly heartened by the boost from his long-term supporters.
Chen pledged he will put up with any difficulties ahead, saying "no matter how vicious the attacks and smears are, I'll stick to my guns and will never fall or lose my will."
Chen refused -- even under heavy pressure -- to renege on the mandate given him by voters, vowing to "bravely go down the right path and pursue my goals and campaigns."
He stressed that he would follow the path of "insisting on a separate identity for Taiwan, and the realization of social justice."
He reaffirmed his four goals -- increasing investment in Taiwan, creating employment opportunities, narrowing the gap between urban and rural areas as well as the gap between rich and poor.
A recent report by the Department of Budget, Accounting and Statistics showed that the income of Taiwan's wealthiest individuals was 6.04 times that of the poorest last year.
The president said he would also insist on three campaigns -- joining the UN under the name of Taiwan, crafting a new Constitution that would be "timely, relevant and viable," and retrieving the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) ill-gotten assets, which were obtained during the authoritarian era.
He said he as an individual is insignificant, but that safeguarding the nation is very important, saying "everyone should cherish what Taiwan has today."
"What is the meaning if we continue this boisterous squabbling," he asked, adding that if "incessant fighting throws Taiwan into pandemonium and China takes advantage of the situation to invade Taiwan, then what good will it bring to Taiwan?"
The president said Taiwan is a democratic country and democracy means freedom and rule of law.
But he urged respect for this freedom, saying that if the public does not heed the rule of law it will mean chaos for the nation. Any problems should be solved within a legal framework and should not be settled through violence or means outside the existing system, he said.
DETERRENCE: With 1,000 indigenous Hsiung Feng II and III missiles and 400 Harpoon missiles, the nation would boast the highest anti-ship missile density in the world With Taiwan wrapping up mass production of Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by December and an influx of Harpoon missiles from the US, Taiwan would have the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, a source said yesterday. Taiwan is to wrap up mass production of the indigenous anti-ship missiles by the end of year, as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has been meeting production targets ahead of schedule, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said. Combined with the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Taiwan expects to receive from the US by 2028, the nation would have
POSSIBILITIES EMERGE: With Taiwan’s victory and Japan’s narrow win over Australia, Taiwan now have a chance to advance if South Korea also beat the Aussies Taiwan has high hopes that the national baseball team would advance to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarter-finals after clinching a crucial 5-4 victory over South Korea in a nail-biting extra-inning game at the Tokyo Dome yesterday. Boosted by three home runs — two solo shots by Yu Chang (張育成) and Cheng Tsung-che (鄭宗哲) and a two-run homer by Stuart Fairchild — the triumph gave Taiwan a much-needed second victory in the five-team Pool C, where only the top two finishers would advance to the knockout stage in Miami, Florida. Entering extra innings with the game tied at four apiece, Taiwan scored
MISSION OF PEACE: The foreign minister urged Beijing to respect Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation, and work together to ensure peace and stability in the region Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday rejected Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi’s (王毅) comments about Taiwan, criticizing China as a “troublemaker” in the international community and a disruptor of cross-strait peace. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the Chinese National People’s Congress, Wang said that Taiwan has always been a territory of China and that it would be impossible for it to become its own country. The “return” of Taiwan to China was the natural outcome of the Chinese people’s resistance against Japan in World War II, and that any pursuit of independence was “doomed
‘UNWAVERING FRIENDSHIP’: A representative of a Japanese group that co-organized a memorial, said he hopes Japanese never forget Taiwan’s kindness President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, urging continued cooperation between Taiwan and Japan on disaster prevention and humanitarian assistance. Lai wrote on social media that Taiwan and Japan have always helped each other in the aftermath of major disasters. The magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering a massive tsunami that claimed more than 19,000 lives, according to data from Japanese authorities. Following the disaster, Taiwan donated more than US$240 million in aid, making it one of the largest contributors of financial assistance to Japan. In addition to cash donations and
RSS