Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday announced that she would join the party’s primary for the presidential election next year.
“I have decided to join the DPP’s primary for president,” Tsai said on Facebook. “I have my dreams; I have my determination. I believe that resolute implementation of policies needs to be backed by calm thought.”
“Breaking through difficulties requires a strong will,” she said. “The nation needs reform, but pain will certainly accompany it; therefore I will unite with social forces and together we will solve the challenges the nation faces in a steady manner.”
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Tsai said that she does not mean to take Taiwan into “an age of the DPP or an age of Tsai.”
She said she would instead create an age that belongs to the public, an “age of [a] new politics of transparency, honesty, public participation, tolerance, clear division of power and responsibility, as well as firm protection of national sovereignty,” she said.
Tsai spoke of how she took over party leadership in 2008, when the DPP was facing its most difficult time, and resumed party leadership last year, after the Sunflower movement, when “party politics” became a negative term in the eyes of many.
She said she is focused on keeping the DPP vital and a good option in the political market.
Tsai said that the government should not just sit aside and watch people struggle to survive on their own and suffer under the leadership of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), adding that this was why she decided to run for president again.
Tsai’s office announced that she would register at 11am today as a candidate in the party primary.
Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) and former DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who were both considered likely to enter the primary before announcing they would not, sent Tsai messages wishing her luck.
‘UNFRIENDLY’: Changing the nationality listing of Taiwanese residents to ‘China’ goes against EU foreign policy as well as democratic and human rights principles, MOFA said Taiwan yesterday called on Denmark to correct its designation of the nationality of Taiwanese residents as “China” or face retaliatory measures. The Danish government in 2024 changed the nationality of Taiwanese citizens on their residence permits from “Taiwan” to “China.” The decision goes against EU foreign policy and contravenes democratic and human rights principles, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said. Denmark should present a solution acceptable to Taiwan as soon as possible and correct the erroneous designation to preserve the longstanding friendship between the two nations, Hsiao said. The issue could damage Denmark’s image and business reputation in Taiwan,
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
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