Former premier William Lai (賴清德) yesterday registered to run in the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential primary, saying that he could shoulder the responsibility of leading Taiwan in defending itself.
Lai, who stepped down as premier in January following the party’s losses in the nine-in-one elections on Nov. 24 last year, said that calls from grassroots DPP supporters led him to contend for the party’s nomination.
The DPP would find itself in an even more precarious position in next year’s presidential election than in the 2008 race, particularly after the party’s heavy losses in the local elections, Lai said.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
DPP supporters are concerned that losing the presidency and a number of legislative seats would put the nation’s sovereignty and democracy at risk, he said.
As a result, many voices have been urging him to “take up the responsibility,” he added.
The legislative by-elections this month showed that the DPP’s base is strong, but Lai said he believes that the party remains in a challenging situation.
Moreover, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習進平) is pushing for the annexation of Taiwan, “forcing Taiwan to accept the surrender-like ‘one country, two systems,’” he said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has responded to pressure from China with a proposal to sign a peace treaty, but Lai said that Tibet’s experience with Beijing has taught him that a treaty would not prevent China from trying to annex Taiwan.
“Taiwan will not become a second Hong Kong, a second Tibet,” he said, adding that cross-strait relations are what make next year’s elections so critical.
Lai said that he made his decision to run after the legislative by-elections revealed a crisis in the DPP.
DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) specifically asked him to “stand in the front lines” during the by-elections, Lai said, adding that the opportunity put him in touch with many people and allowed him to gauge the depth of their concern.
He said that he came to his decision over the past two days.
Lai said he informed Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu (陳菊) prior to his registration and asked her to relay his decision to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who last month in an interview with CNN announced her intention to seek re-election.
Asked whether his decision would cause division in the party, Lai said that the DPP has a primary process that is democratic, not divisive.
If Tsai wins the primary, she would have his support, Lai added.
The president yesterday posted on Facebook that she would register for the DPP primary some time this week.
The president would register for the primary before visiting the Pacific island countries of Palau, Nauru and the Marshall Islands, Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang (張惇涵) said.
Tsai is to visit Palau on Thursday to Saturday and Nauru on March 24 and 25, before arriving in the Marshall Islands on March 26 for the first-ever Pacific Women Leaders’ Coalition Conference, an itinerary released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week showed.
Additional reporting by CNA
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS