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.
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
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
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