The ruling DPP yesterday appeared to view opposition parties' moves to either found a new political party or seek inter-party cooperation, as political strategies that are unlikely to be put into action.
"It's more likely that they are trying to deliver a political messages rather than actually planning to act on [their pronouncements]," DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said yesterday.
Hsieh was responding to former KMT business czar Liu Tai-ying's (劉泰英) idea of organizing a "mainstream" party and People First Party Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) remarks that he would welcome former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) to the PFP.
Hsieh stressed the importance of political credibility to win the trust of the people and enhancing the development of a political party. Meanwhile, Shih yesterday, as scheduled, had a dinner banquet with PFP legislators including Liu Sung-pan (劉松藩) to discuss possible inter-party cooperation. Soong and former DPP chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良), however, did not attend the so-called "Chairmen's meeting (主席會)" banquet last night, but Soong said that, "There has to be a certain type of reorganization among political parties."
"Reorganizing doesn't mean denying the present state of political parties. We have to realize, however, the political reality and gather all those who share the same ideals as a force to stabilize the present political chaos," Soong said during an interview with local news channel TVBS, adding that the formation of a new political entity was not about power-sharing or power-bribes.
Liu, after the banquet, said that he had not discussed with Shih the possibility of his joining the party, saying,"It is still too early to say." But he did say that they exchanged views on various issues including economic and cultural problems.
"For the sake of political stability and economic solutions, we will work together," Liu said, adding that the atmosphere was harmonious.
Expressing his gratitude, Shih said that he believed that "no parties [including the PFP] in Taiwan would sell out Taiwan" and hoped that the government could enjoy better interaction with opposition parties. Shih said that he had asked Liu and the PFP to take part in a project, which pays tribute to those who had dedicated their lives to Taiwan. "The aim is to reinforce the concept of great reconciliation (
DPP legislative whip Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財) said Shih would not be joining the PFP. "Can Shih accept the PFP's pro-unification stance? I don't think so," Hsu Tain-tsair told reporters at the Legislative Yuan yesterday morning.
Director of the DPP's department of organizational development Liu I-te (劉一德), moreover, said that the exodus of Shih and Hsu would not have too much impact on or cause immediate damage to the party.
"The best example is Hsu's case. Hsu used to have strong connections within the party. But when he decided to run as an independent presidential candidate, he gained fewer votes than expected," Liu I-te said during a radio interview yesterday morning, adding that the DPP still hoped Shih's faction could remain as DPP members.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
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