DPP heavyweights assembled in Yunlin County yesterday in a show of strength -- part of an intensifying campaign for the upcoming county commissioner by-election -- while maintaining that its candidate, Lin Chung-li (
Most importantly, they say, Lin's popularity in the post-earthquake climate has outpaced independent candidate Chang Jung-wei (
According to the latest opinion poll conducted by Global TV and the Journalist magazine, the DPP's Lin leads with about 19 percent support, while KMT candidate Chang Cheng-hsiung (
DPP leaders said yesterday that this and other recent polls held after the 921 quake reveal that the DPP has an excellent opportunity to win local administrative power in a place they have never won before.
"The quake damaged public construction, and residents are blaming it on the KMT," said one official.
"The independent, Chang, apparently lost key support in mountainous townships such as Touliu (
Kuo said he believed some of Chang's supporters have shifted to the DPP's Lin in those townships. But, he said, the DPP still regards Chang as the party's main rival.
"We have only increased our support among constituents who did not necessarily vote along party lines in the past. And Chang's support organizations have not disappeared," he said.
Kuo was part of a group of party officials who had begun working in Yunlin even before the Sept. 21 earthquake, campaigning against so-called "black gold" politics -- the abuse of power by corrupt officials -- and for a "shift in power to rescue Yunlin."
Central party leaders also arrived in Yunlin County yesterday to campaign for Lin. They began by holding their weekly Central Standing Committee meeting in Touliu and a mass campaign rally in Peikang (
Party chairman Lin I-hsiung (
"We attribute this to the KMT because it has stayed in power too long to cut the connections between local factions and gangsters," Lin said.
"Therefore, the Yunlin County by-election can be an historical symbol of Taiwan's democratic development if residents can elect an opposition commissioner," he said.
Chen Shui-bian (
"Residents in Yunlin should not be cheated again. Lin Chung-li is the only opportunity to lead Yunlin County toward the 21st century," he said.
As to the strategy of the DPP's campaign in the coming two weeks before the Nov. 6 vote, Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), the DPP's current legislative caucus leader, who was born in Yunlin, said the DPP still had to get the word out about Lin's achievements during his official career, as well as his platform of "terminating black gold."
"Chang Jun-wei still maintains a predominant position in those townships near the coast and in the central part of the county," Lee said.
In addition, two years ago in the election for commissioner, Chang nearly won, although some polls at that time placed him third, about six or seven percent behind the runner up.
Moreover, half of local residents polled did not name a choice -- those "who may be waiting for a candidate to offer a better price for their votes," DPP director Kuo added.
"We face a hard battle but are confident of winning," he said.
MILITARY BOOST: The procurement was planned after Washington recommended that Taiwan increase its stock of air defense missiles, a defense official said yesterday Taiwan is planning to order an additional four PAC-3 MSE systems and up to 500 missiles in response to an increasing number of missile sites on China’s east coast, a defense official said yesterday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the proposed order would be placed using the defense procurement special budget, adding that about NT$1 trillion (US$32,88 billion) has been allocated for the budget. The proposed acquisition would include launchers, missiles, and a lower tier air and missile defense radar system, they said The procurement was planned after the US military recommended that Taiwan increase
POLITICAL AGENDA: Beijing’s cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival events are part of a ‘cultural united front’ aimed at promoting unification with Taiwan, academics said Local authorities in China have been inviting Taiwanese to participate in cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations centered around ideals of “family and nation,” a move Taiwanese academics said politicizes the holiday to promote the idea of “one family” across the Taiwan Strait. Sources said that China’s Fujian Provincial Government is organizing about 20 cross-strait-themed events in cities including Quanzhou, Nanping, Sanming and Zhangzhou. In Zhangzhou, a festival scheduled for Wednesday is to showcase Minnan-language songs and budaixi (布袋戲) glove puppetry to highlight cultural similarities between Taiwan and the region. Elsewhere, Jiangsu Province is hosting more than 10 similar celebrations in Taizhou, Changzhou, Suzhou,
COGNITIVE WARFARE: Chinese fishing boats transmitting fake identification signals are meant to test Taiwan’s responses to different kinds of perceived incursions, a report said Chinese vessels are transmitting fake signals in Taiwan’s waters as a form of cognitive warfare, testing Taipei’s responses to various types of incursions, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said on Friday. Several Chinese fishing vessels transmitted fake automatic identification system (AIS) signals in Taiwan’s waters last month, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another impersonating a Chinese law enforcement vessel, the report said. Citing data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the report said that throughout August and last month, the Chinese fishing boat Minshiyu 06718 (閩獅漁06718) sailed through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting its own AIS
CHINESE INFILTRATION: Medical logistics is a lifeline during wartime and the reported CCP links of a major logistics company present a national security threat, an expert said The government would bolster its security check system to prevent China from infiltrating the nation’s medical cold chain, a national security official said yesterday. The official, who wished to stay anonymous, made the remarks after the Chinese-language magazine Mirror Media (鏡周刊) reported that Pharma Logistics (嘉里醫藥物流) is in charge of the medical logistics of about half of the nation’s major hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The company’s parent, Kerry TJ Logistics Co (嘉里大榮物流), is associated with the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the
RSS