Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who remained in detention when he marked his 60th birthday on Wednesday, has not eaten anything for two days in protest against government incompetence and continued judicial persecution, Chen's office said yesterday.
“Former president Chen stopped eating two days ago. He wants to express his anger [at the government] even if it means death. He is very determined,” Chiang Chih-ming (江志銘), the secretary of Chen's office, said yesterday outside the Taipei Detention Center in Tucheng, Taipei County.
Chen's daughter, Chen Hsing-yu (陳幸妤), later rushed to the detention center to visit her father, where she conveyed former first lady Wu Shu-jen's (吳淑珍) concerns about her husband's health on the couple's 34th wedding anniversary.
The former president's lawyer, Shih Yi-ling (石宜琳), later said Chen Shui-bian had been depressed over the past several days and had skipped lunch and exercise.
Shih, however, said the former president did not mention anything about fasting to death.
Lee Da-chu (李大竹), deputy head of the detention center, denied reports that Chen Shui-bian had skipped breakfast and lunch yesterday, saying he had finished his three meals on Thursday.
Lee said the center would pay extra attention to Chen Shui-bian's situation.
The former president conducted a 15-day hunger strike in November after being detained for the first time. He was sent to hospital for a check-up during his first fast.
Chen Shui-bian, who left office in May, has been detained on charges of embezzlement, taking bribes, money laundering, influence peddling and extortion. Wu, their son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and his wife, Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚), and several of his former aides have also been charged with corruption and money-laundering.
Chen Chih-chung and Huang moved to Kaohsiung on Thursday to start a new life in the south. Chiang said the former president knew about their move and understood their decision.
Chen Chih-chung had said on Thursday that he would start looking for a job in Kaohsiung to support his family.
He said his mother would not be moving to his new residence anytime soon because of the difficulty in finding a caregiver.
Also See: Prosecutors quiz witnesses on
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
DEROGATORY: WTO host Cameroon’s designation of Taiwan as a ‘province of China’ seriously undermines the nation’s status and rights as a WTO member, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday condemned Cameroon for listing Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China” in visa documents for an upcoming WTO ministerial conference, a move that led to Taiwan’s withdrawal from the event. The designation “seriously undermined” Taiwan’s status and rights as a WTO member, the ministry said in a statement. It is the first time since 2001 that Taiwan has declined to attend a WTO Ministerial Conference. The conference is scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday next week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon. Taiwan had planned to send a delegation led by Minister Without Portfolio
RSS