The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is bracing for another possible split in its ranks, following a statement from Tainan Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財) yesterday that he was considering running in the year-end Greater Tainan mayoral race as an independent.
“I mentioned before that if my supporters were able to collect 100,000 signatures, I would consider entering the Greater Tainan race. Right now they have collected about that number; many are insisting I declare,” Hsu said.
Hsu said that he was finding it difficult to make a decision.
PHOTO: HUNG JUI-CHING, TAIPEI TIMES
“If it were such an easy matter to decide, I would have made up my mind long ago,” he said, adding that he would announce his decision in the next two weeks.
Hsu was said to be unhappy after losing the party primary to DPP Legislator William Lai (賴清德), who received the party's nomination for Greater Tainan.
On Tuesday, Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) surprised the party by declaring his intention to run in Greater Kaohsiung.
Some DPP officials privately expressed concerns that Yang's decision could encourage Hsu to follow suit.
Tainan City and Tainan County — traditional DPP strongholds — will be merged later this year into a special municipality as part of a major administrative reorganization launched by the central government.
When approached by reporters for comment yesterday, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she did not think Hsu would run, adding that she “would pay Hsu a visit if necessary.”
At a separate setting, DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said he expected the party would try to prevent a split from happening.
Also See: Our hands not in DPP split: KMT
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
STREAMLINED: The dedicated funding would allow the US to transfer equipment to Taiwan when needed and order upgraded replacements for stockpiles, a source said The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a defense appropriations bill totaling US$838.7 billion, of which US$1 billion is to be allocated to reinforcing security cooperation with Taiwan and US$150 million to replace defense articles provided to the nation. These are part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which the US House yesterday passed with 341 votes in favor and 88 against. The act must be passed by the US Senate before Friday next week to avoid another government shutdown. The US House Committee on Appropriations on Monday unveiled the act, saying that it allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative
RSS