Liao Fung-te (廖風德), a key member of president-elect Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) incoming Cabinet, died of heart and lung failure last night after collapsing during a hike in Muzha (木柵), a suburb of Taipei. He was 57.
Liao was designated minister of the interior and earlier served as director of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) organization and development committee.
Wanfang Hospital deputy superintendent Hsu Chun-sen (許淳森) said that a medical team placed Liao on life support but failed to resuscitate him after five hours of emergency care.
The hospital pronounced him dead at 9:10pm.
Hsu declined to make further comments on Liao’s medical history out of respect for Liao’s family.
Liao was found by hikers at a park near the intersection of Wanning Street and Jungong Road at 3:30pm. After first aid failed to revive him, he was rushed to the nearby Wanfang Hospital.
DOA
Hsu said at 6:20pm that Liao was dead on arrival at the hospital at around 4pm, but that he was still being treated in hopes that he could be brought back to life.
Ma, vice president-elect Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), premier-designate Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) and KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news.
Liao was a KMT legislator from 1999 to 2005, and a major campaign strategist for the KMT. His experience in electioneering and mobilizing pan-blue grassroots support helped the party win the last eight major elections, including the legislative elections in 2004 and in January, the Taipei mayoral elections in 2006 and the presidential election in March.
‘GENERAL LUCK’
Liao’s contributions in putting an end to the KMT’s run of defeats in major elections earned him the nicknames “General Luck” and “General Invincible.”
Liao was born in Ilan County on April 17, 1951. He was a graduate of National Chengchi University’s Graduate School of History.
Before entering politics, Liao worked as a newspaper reporter and later as a professor of history at his alma mater.
He was also a novelist who touched on the lives of ethnic Taiwanese in rural areas.
KMT spokesman Huang Yu-cheng (黃玉振) said that Wu and all party members were in deep grief over Liao’s death, and that the party would assist Liao’s family with arrangements for his funeral.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) expressed surprise at the news, saying that Liao’s death was a great loss to the nation.
Additional reporting by CNA
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
FOREIGN INTERFERENCE: Beijing would likely intensify public opinion warfare in next year’s local elections to prevent Lai from getting re-elected, the ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ said Internal documents from a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company indicated that China has been using the technology to intervene in foreign elections, including propaganda targeting Taiwan’s local elections next year and presidential elections in 2028, a Japanese newspaper reported yesterday. The Institute of National Security of Vanderbilt University obtained nearly 400 pages of documents from GoLaxy, a company with ties to the Chinese government, and found evidence that it had apparently deployed sophisticated, AI-driven propaganda campaigns in Hong Kong and Taiwan to shape public opinion, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported. GoLaxy provides insights, situation analysis and public opinion-shaping technology by conducting network surveillance
‘POLITICAL GAME’: DPP lawmakers said the motion would not meet the legislative threshold needed, and accused the KMT and the TPP of trivializing the Constitution The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy. The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority. Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself. The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that
Taiwan is gearing up to celebrate the New Year at events across the country, headlined by the annual countdown and Taipei 101 fireworks display at midnight. Many of the events are to be livesteamed online. See below for lineups and links: Taipei Taipei’s New Year’s Party 2026 is to begin at 7pm and run until 1am, with the theme “Sailing to the Future.” South Korean girl group KARA is headlining the concert at Taipei City Hall Plaza, with additional performances by Amber An (安心亞), Nick Chou (周湯豪), hip-hop trio Nine One One (玖壹壹), Bii (畢書盡), girl group Genblue (幻藍小熊) and more. The festivities are to
RSS