Coming under heavy fire from opposition parties for saying Thursday that his administration has "removed the rocks from our track," President Chen Shui-bian (
"It was a reference to the DPP, which, although it is the ruling party, has been so vocal and fulsome in its criticism of the new government during the past four months, that it has obstructed the new government's development," said Chen as he inspected an industrial park in Changhua County.
Chen said that the public should not associate his remark with the Cabinet reshuffle that followed the resignation of former premier Tang Fei (唐飛). He said that the DPP shouldered the lion's share of responsibility for the smooth running of the government.
On Thursday Chen said, "We recognize that the government had problems during the past four and a half months, just like a train which is jolted because the track is bumpy, but we have removed the rocks from our track ... The train has been repaired and can now get back on the track."
Opposition parties immediately complained that Chen's remarks were an insult to Tang Fei, who resigned as premier on Tuesday night, saying that the president's "improper comments" had revealed his "blunt character."
A Presidential Office official told the media on Thursday night that the word "rocks" was a symbol for issues, including the "old bureaucracy."
People First Party (PFP) lawmakers, however, still said yesterday that Chen was dishonorable, saying "Tang was not the rock, although some Cabinet members might be considered small rocks."
"And if Chen did not realize what people really expect, then he is the big rock obstructing our country's economic development," said PFP legislative caucus leader Chen Chao-jung (陳朝容).
KMT lawmaker Chen Horng-chi (陳鴻基) said that he was confused by the president's remarks. "It made me feel that Chen is an ungrateful politician who abandoned Tang and even kicked him as he left."
Meanwhile, DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (
Leaders of the DPP's New Tide faction (新潮流系) said the party would engage in self-reflection and, henceforth, support the government. Members of the New Tide faction have often been critical of the Chen administration.
"Some DPP factions have had different ideas from President Chen in the past months. But now the DPP should be completely as one with the government," said DPP lawmaker Lee Wen-chung (李文忠). "And if the president has pointed the finger at us, we accept this and will reflect on the situation."
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Friday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
FORCED LABOR: A US court listed three Taiwanese and nine firms based in Taiwan in its indictment, with eight of the companies registered at the same address Nine companies registered in Taiwan, as well as three Taiwanese, on Tuesday were named by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) as a result of a US federal court indictment. The indictment unsealed at the federal court in Brooklyn, New York, said that Chen Zhi (陳志), a dual Cambodian-British national, is being indicted for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and overseeing Prince Holding Group’s forced-labor scam camps in Cambodia. At its peak, the company allegedly made US$30 million per day, court documents showed. The US government has seized Chen’s noncustodial wallet, which contains
SENATE RECOMMENDATION: The National Defense Authorization Act encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s navy to participate in the exercises in Hawaii The US Senate on Thursday last week passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which strongly encourages the US secretary of defense to invite Taiwan’s naval forces to participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, as well as allocating military aid of US$1 billion for Taiwan. The bill, which authorizes appropriations for the military activities of the US Department of Defense, military construction and other purposes, passed with 77 votes in support and 20 against. While the NDAA authorizes about US$925 billion of defense spending, the Central News Agency yesterday reported that an aide of US
RSS