As a result of two former government officials pledging to throw their weight behind independent presidential candidate James Soong (
However, critics said the exodus toward Soong's camp was more symbolic than a substantive indication of a change of support.
Soong's campaign manager, Wu Rong-ming (
"The participation by Liu and Liao, in their capacity as former legislative speaker and minister respectively, have not only boosted our morale, but also helped us to further demonstrate our momentum," Wu said.
According to the latest poll released by the TVBS cable network, Soong's popularity rating has moved from 25 percent to 29 percent, while the DPP's candidate, Chen Shui-bian (
Critics, meanwhile, said recent developments can be looked at on two different levels.
"Both Liu and Liao have connections with local factions. And while Liu is seen as the `godfather of the red faction' in Taichung County and holds an impressive mobilization ability among farmer's associations, the Liao family is also associated with the powerful Lin faction in Chiayi County," said Wang Yeh-lih (
Nevertheless, Wang added: "Despite their channels to local factions, on the national campaign battlefield, their influence will be limited."
Liu is the most senior figure in the legislature, having been elected nine times and serving as the first native Taiwanese legislative speaker.
Liao became popular as justice minister Liao and was touted as a "hero for cracking down on organized crime."
Wang pointed out that Soong's camp has paid more attention to Liu and Liao's symbolic value rather than to their ability to secure factional voters.
"Liao's reform-minded appearance could help to repair Soong's tarnished image after the revelation of the money scandal last December," Wang said.
But DPP New Wave faction leader Wu Nan-jen (
"Judging from their deep affiliations with the KMT, I believe that KMT could easily gather evidence to challenge their credit," Wu said.
Moreover, Wu said Soong's weakness lies in the fact that he may have already maximized his support base.
"Most of Soong's backers are active voters, who are willing to express their pro-Soong tendency. Compared to Soong's rivals, no matter whether Chen or Lien, Soong's space [to expand support] is narrow,'' Wu said.
Other critics disagreed.
"Ever since the exposure of the irregular financial dealings surrounding Soong's family, based on my own experience, part of Soong's supporters have been inclined to conceal their preference for Soong, probably to avoid harassment," Wang said.
Under such circumstances, Wang said, "I would prefer not to underestimate Soong's mobilization power."
The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee yesterday approved proposed amendments to the Amusement Tax Act (娛樂稅法) that would abolish taxes on films, cultural activities and competitive sporting events, retaining the fee only for dance halls and golf courses. The proposed changes would set the maximum tax rate for dance halls and golf courses at 50 and 20 percent respectively, with local governments authorized to suspend the levies. Article 2 of the act says that “amusement tax shall be levied on tickets sold or fees charged by amusement places, facilities or activities” in six categories: “Cinema; professional singing, story-telling, dancing, circus, magic show, acrobatics
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
INFLATION UP? The IMF said CPI would increase to 1.5 percent this year, while the DGBAS projected it would rise to 1.68 percent, with GDP per capita of US$44,181 The IMF projected Taiwan’s real GDP would grow 5.2 percent this year, up from its 2.1 percent outlook in January, despite fears of global economic disruptions sparked by the US-Iran conflict. Taiwan’s consumer price index (CPI) is projected to increase to 1.5 percent, while unemployment would be 3.4 percent, roughly in line with estimates for Asia as a whole, the international body wrote in its Global Economic Outlook Report published in the US on Monday. The figures are comparatively better than the IMF outlook for the rest of the world, which pegged real GDP growth at 3.1 percent, down from 3.3 percent
ECONOMIC COERCION: Such actions are often inconsistently applied, sometimes resumed, and sometimes just halted, the Presidential Office spokeswoman said The government backs healthy and orderly cross-strait exchanges, but such arrangements should not be made with political conditions attached and never be used as leverage for political maneuvering or partisan agendas, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said yesterday. Kuo made the remarks after China earlier in the day announced 10 new “incentive measures” for Taiwan, following a landmark meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) in Beijing on Friday. The measures, unveiled by China’s Xinhua news agency, include plans to resume individual travel by residents of Shanghai and China’s Fujian
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