Two Cabinet members yesterday announced plans to resign from their current posts to run in the upcoming legislative elections, saying they hoped their participation in the race would help break Taiwan's current political stalemate.
Vice Chairman of the Council for Cultural Affairs Luo Wen-chia (
PHOTO: CHU YO-PIN, TAIPEI TIMES
Luo plans to run in Taipei City, whereas You intends to campaign in Hualien County.
"It will be a new beginning for me to join the race, and I know it will be tough. But I look forward to making a little change to the political atmosphere of the country, elevating the quality of the legislation and bringing new ideas to the legislature," said Luo, an expert in campaign publicity for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for almost a decade.
Some politicians, however, saw the move as a sign the DPP was in crisis, and that the two deputy leaders had felt trapped in positions where their abilities could not be brought into full play.
"It is rather unusual for executives to quit to join the campaign race. I think the DPP is facing some ruling difficulties because, after all, these DPP officials are more adept at election strategies, than administrating," PFP lawmaker Diane Lee (李慶安) told the Taipei Times.
"In addition, the two used to be rather active when the DPP was the opposition. But they've barely been heard since the DPP took power, and their performances in their present positions have hardly drawn any attention."
You said the DPP had so far been an ineffectual ruling party because of its disadvantageous position in the Legislative Yuan.
"Today's political deadlock stems from the DPP's minority status in the legislature, which has crippled the implementation of the governmental policies," said You, adding that he hoped that joining the legislature would help strengthen the DPP.
Director of the DPP's department of organizational development Liu I-te (
"It is kind of a waste for officials to run for elections ? I assume they have found themselves being placed in a difficult situation because they have not gained as much attention as they used to," Liu said.
Analysts, however, put a more positive spin on the move.
"I agree with You that running in the election is meant to help break the political impasse," said Wang Yeh-li (
"In accordance with our Constitutional system, the significance of the legislative branch will be increased gradually. If the ruling party does not enjoy a dominant position in the legislature, it will make policy execution almost impossible? I think the DPP's resolution to secure more seats at the legislature is definitely a good strategy."
RESILIENCE: Taiwan plays a key role in semiconductors, energy, information infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, AIT Director Raymond Greene said Taiwan’s continued investment in deterrence and resilience remains vital, especially in uncrewed systems and other emerging technologies, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene said yesterday. Greene made the remarks at the annual National Strategic Summit on Supply Chain Resilience held by the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET), a government-backed think tank. As Taiwan last year became the US’ fourth-largest trading partner and supply chain security is becoming more important, cooperation in emerging technologies continues to deepen between the two countries, he said. The US is committed to accelerating innovation, building key infrastructure, strengthening cooperation
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea. The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by the institute and domestic companies — and assembled with domestically produced motors, lenses and artificial intelligence (AI) systems alongside licensed tech from the US, Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division deputy director Jen Kuo-kang (任國光) told the media event at a military base in Taipei’s Dazhi (大直) area. Taiwan has built up its strengths
RIGHT DIRECTION: Taiwan’s efforts to prevent forced labor include a proposal to ‘fully prohibit’ employers from withholding workers’ documents, an official said Taiwan is to establish a mechanism to restrict imports of goods linked to forced labor, the Executive Yuan said yesterday, after the US proposed imposing additional tariffs on Taiwanese goods over labor concerns. “The Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are to establish an interministerial review procedure,” Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said at a news briefing in Taipei. “The government is to use the Foreign Trade Act [貿易法] as the legal basis to restrict imports of goods produced with forced labor” and bring its supply chain governance more in line with international standards on human rights, resilience
NOT IMMEDIATE: Taiwan has a chance to appeal the proposed 10 percent tariff before it starts, while other countries face a 12.5 percent tariff from the trade office Taiwan is among 60 economies determined by the US to have failed to impose or enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor, according to a notice released on Tuesday by the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), which proposed imposing an additional 10 percent or more tariff on them. The USTR in a statement said that following an investigation, it had determined under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 that the failure of the 60 economies to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor is
RSS