Next year’s presidential election is a choice between value systems and ways of life, and the sustainability of democracy and freedom, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said on Saturday.
After concluding a state visit to the nation’s four Caribbean allies on Friday, Tsai made a two-night stopover in Denver, Colorado, on her way home and held an informal meeting with reporters accompanying her delegation.
Commenting on foreign media reports that next year’s presidential and legislative elections would be a battle between pro-China and pro-US camps, Tsai said she sees the elections as “a choice between value systems and ways of life.”
Photo: CNA
Taiwan is a democratic society and its voters are focused on the nation’s future, especially whether its democratic way of life and freedom can be sustained, said Tsai, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who is running for re-election.
“We hope for peace and stability when handling cross-strait relations, we also hope that China will understand the hopes and priorities of Taiwanese that are expressed in each general election,” she added.
Asked about possible presidential challenges by the pro-independence Formosa Alliance or by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), Tsai said that she aims to forge a coalition of supporters of Taiwan and the Republic of China.
The Formosa Alliance has organized itself into a political party, but has yet to nominate a presidential candidate. Ko has said he would announce next month whether he would run for president.
Regarding a running mate, Tsai said that the political situation is still developing and the DPP would hold a discussion later.
“Our objective remains to create the best and most competitive ticket for 2020,” she added.
During her trip to the Caribbean, interacting with local people and witnessing Taiwan’s assistance to its allies, such as helping Saint Lucia eradicate a disease that damaged banana crops, moved her, Tsai said.
American Institute in Taiwan Chairman James Moriarty also attended Tsai’s meeting with the press, and she thanked the US government for helping on her Caribbean trip.
Asked if she thought Taiwan would become a bargaining chip in US President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign next year or in US-China trade negotiations, Tsai said she would not comment on US domestic politics.
However, she believes Taiwan has the support of Americans and US political parties, she said.
Taiwan should have its own strategies and ideas based on its interests, and continue its cooperation and positive relations with the US, Tsai said.
Tsai on Saturday also visited the US National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.
She was welcomed by center director Everette Joseph, a group of Taiwanese scientists working at the facility and Taiwanese students in the area.
The center and Taiwanese scientists developed Formosat-7, the second satellite constellation jointly built by Taiwan and the US after Formosat-3.
She visited the Earth Observing Laboratory, one of the center’s seven laboratories, where she was given a tour of research aircraft.
Tsai later had lunch with US Senator Cory Gardner, who represents Colorado.
She is scheduled to arrive home today.
‘DEMOCRATIC FISH’: Soichiro Hayashi said he wants to return Taiwan’s kindness after it helped with relief efforts after the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami Japanese fish farmers are ready to help Taiwan after China banned Taiwanese grouper imports, the Sankei Shimbun reported yesterday. The Chinese General Administration of Customs suspended imports of the fish on Monday last week, citing prohibited chemicals and excessive levels of oxytetracycline allegedly found in grouper imports since December last year. Soichiro Hayashi, president of the Hayashi Trout Farm in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture, is leading the push for Taiwanese grouper imports, the newspaper said. His call has caught the attention of several large sushi chains, the report said. Hayashi, who is the Fukushima branch head of the Friends of Lee Teng-hui Association in Japan,
‘TROJAN HORSE’ SCHEME: The comment that a bridge would allow China’s PLA to easily launch an attack shows ‘a lack of backbone,’ Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said Critics accused Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of being oblivious to national security concerns after he proposed constructing a bridge to link Kinmen and China’s Xiamen (廈門). Ko, who is also the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman, made the proposal when presiding over the opening ceremony of the party’s office in Kinmen on Saturday. He said the bridge could solve Kinmen’s population, electricity and garbage problems, as well as serve as a shortcut for leaving or entering Taiwan without traveling via Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport). He also proposed building a hospital in Kinmen to attract people who are seeking medical treatment in
OVER THE HUMP: In a seven-day period ending on Wednesday, the nation reported 366,628 new cases, down 19 percent from the 451,358 reported in the previous week The nation might further open up to more arrivals in the next two months, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it reported 48,283 new local COVID-19 cases, down from more than 50,000 in the previous few days. Taiwan on Wednesday last week introduced a plan to allow up to 25,000 arrivals per week as part of efforts to gradually reopen borders, which includes reducing mandatory quarantines for inbound travelers from seven to three days, followed by four days in “self-initiated epidemic prevention.” The quota covers inbound Taiwanese arrivals, businesspeople and migrant workers. Former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) yesterday said
CECC UPDATE: Officials said the definition of a confirmed COVID-19 case has been revised to include those who are positive in a PCR home test confirmed by a doctor The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that it would probably list monkeypox as a category 2 notifiable communicable disease today or tomorrow. The WHO is to convene an emergency committee meeting today in accordance with the International Health Regulations to discuss whether the spread of monkeypox to 39 countries, including 32 non-endemic countries, constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. On Tuesday, the Singaporean Ministry of Health confirmed its first imported case of monkeypox, which is also the first case reported in Southeast Asia. South Korea yesterday reported its first confirmed case of monkeypox — a South Korean national who
RSS