Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate Sean Lien (連勝文) told supporters at the Super Saturday parade yesterday that if he wins the election, he will rename Shifu Road (市府路) — the location of the Taipei City Government — “Chin Kuo road (經國路)” after former president Chiang Chin-kuo (蔣經國).
In the historic KMT stronghold, Lien made a last-ditch attempt to galvanize pan-blue supporters as he praised former presidents Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), also known as Chiang Zhongzheng (蔣中正), and Chiang Chin-kuo.
“Some say it is a shame that there are many roads in Taiwan named Zhongzheng (中正) and Chin Kuo,” Lien said, referring to reported remarks by independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). Ko has said his remarks were “distorted” by former KMT legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅).
Photo: CNA
It is not brown-nosing to name roads after the Chiangs, as Ko believes, Lien said, adding that the practice shows that Taiwanese “cherish the memory of the heroes” of the Republic of China (ROC) and indicates their willingness to “work hard” like the former leaders did to keep the nation moving forward.
The KMT campaign touted Lien as a candidate with international perspectives specializing in economic and financial issues, adding the slogan: “Support FTA [free-trade agreements]” to the parade’s original theme, making it: “Support Taipei, support FTAs, support Sean Lien,” as well as “support the ROC.”
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also attended, renewing a call for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to allow reviews in the legislature of draft bills regarding free economic pilot zones, cross-strait agreement supervision and the cross-strait service trade agreement.
Ma castigated protesters involved in the student-led Sunflower movement in March and April, whose actions blocked ratification of the cross-strait service trade agreement, demanding that an oversight bill be enacted first.
“You cannot just petition and protest while doing nothing,” Ma said.
Ma said there is reason for concern over the potential impact of the new pact between China and South Korea and praised Lien for highlighting the issue.
The China-South Korea deal would deal a heavy blow to the financial industry in the capital if the bills remain stuck, Ma said.
Senior Cabinet officials of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the National Development Council, the Ministry of Finance and the Financial Supervisory Commission stood behind Lien and Ma as they spoke.
Before the parade began at 3pm from Taipei City Hall plaza — where supporters assembled at 2pm — toward the Presidential Office Building on Ketalagan Boulevard, KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said the turnout exceeded 60,000, with each attendee holding a small ROC flag.
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) threw his support behind Lien at the rally, declaring himself a “supporter of the pan-blue camp.”
“I am a citizen of Taipei and an ROC national. I support the pan-blue camp. There is no hesitation and no ambiguity in our resolute determination to unite to boost the economy,” Gou said, leading the crowd to shout: “Long live the ROC.”
Lien burst into tears while speaking to the crowd — estimated by his camp at more than 100,000 at about 6pm — saying that he has no fear despite vilification hurled at him or spread via the Internet.
Lien said his wife, Patty Tsai (蔡依珊), and mother, Lien Fang-yu (連方瑀), were also determined to not let threats put them off.
“I always tell my family not to cry for me. I have lived through bullets, why would threats, irony or satire scare me?” he said, referring to his being shot at a campaign event in 2010.
The Taipei City Police Department estimated that the crowd reached 70,000 at 5:45pm, up from 65,000 at about 3:20pm.
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