The DPP has stars in its eyes and is attempting to enlist actress Chiang Hsia (
But Chiang, a board member of Taiwan Television (TTV) and long-time backer of President Chen Shui-bian (
"I have never planned to get involved in politics and the DPP has never talked to me about that either," Chiang told reporters yesterday, saying the reports were just speculation.
Chiang said that she would like to focus her efforts on reforming TTV. She added, however, that audience members of a radio call-in show in southern Taiwan did suggest on the air that she run for the legislature.
DPP candidate for legislator at-large Chiu Chang (
Given Chiang's star power and grass-roots background, Chiu said, the television actress should have little problem getting elected.
Chiang also has the backing of first lady Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍), according to Power News (
But Hsu Jen-tu (許仁圖), the DPP's deputy secretary-general, yesterday poured cold water on speculation that Chiang would run, saying "the possibility is slim."
The DPP is in need of a female to represent its field of candidates for the Pingtung County constituency.
In Sunday's party primary elections, three of the DPP's four slots were awarded to males: incumbent legislators Tsao Chi-hung (
According to party rules, at least one out of every four candidacies must go to a woman to encourage their participation in politics.
In the December general election, the top seven vote-getters will represent Pingtung County.
Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), a Pingtung native who was once tapped to run at home after losing her candidacy in the southern Taipei District, said yesterday that she had not ruled out the possibility of running for legislator in Pingtung County.
Chiu questioned yesterday whether Chiang was qualified to represent the DPP, noting that the actress wasn't even a party member.
A self-proclaimed revolutionary, Chiang drew attention by stumping for Chen Shui-bian as early as 1995 in the Taipei mayoral election -- at a time when most entertainers tended to support the KMT.
After Chen won the presidential election, Chiang was given a board seat at the KMT-dominated TTV.
An actress for 30 years, Chiang recently brought to light the entertainment industry's "red envelop culture," whereby bribes are paid to television executives to ensure that programs are put on the air.
The revelations have generated controversy over the management of television stations in Taiwan.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique