A proposed KMT-DPP coalition after the Dec. 1 elections will not have an impact on the performance of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) in the polls, according to a TSU spokesman.
Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強), secretary-general of the party, said yesterday that "the localization line" is one of the TSU's major policy platforms and the party welcomes anyone sharing common beliefs to echo that principle.
But he claimed that the KMT-DPP cooperation scheme proposed by two KMT candidates would not steal votes from the TSU, which is best known for its appeals based on localization.
Discussion over the possibility of a KMT-DPP alliance after the elections surfaced once again in the past several days after two pro-localization KMT candidates from Taipei -- Legislator Chen Horng-chi (陳鴻基) and Taipei City Councilor Chen Hsueh-fen (陳雪芬) -- publicly promoted the suggestion on Monday.
Their suggestion has been interpreted as a move to bring the struggle over the KMT's party line to the surface and has fueled speculation that the two KMT candidates are attempting to court votes from TSU supporters.
"Localization, democratization and pro-Taiwan are the three fundamental principles of the TSU. This kind of struggle, therefore, won't become an issue for us," Shu said.
The TSU secretary-general said his party is firm and clear about its platform.
"We will not be ambiguous about our claim, but nor will we utilize this calling to ignite ethnic tension or restrict other parties from resorting to the same calls [for localization]," Shu said.
Shu then expressed disapproval over another proposal put forward by Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明), a New Party legislative candidate in Taipei City. Yok suggested that a coalition be formed among the KMT, PFP and New Party after the Dec. 1 elections.
"If the suggestion is adopted, the president will face another recall crisis," Shu said.
Last November, the KMT, PFP and New Party formed a coalition alliance to launch a recall motion against President Chen Shui-bian (
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
ON ALERT: Taiwan’s partners would issue warnings if China attempted to use Interpol to target Taiwanese, and the global body has mechanisms to prevent it, an official said China has stationed two to four people specializing in Taiwan affairs at its embassies in several democratic countries to monitor and harass Taiwanese, actions that the host nations would not tolerate, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday. Tsai made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which asked him and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to report on potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military preparedness. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) expressed concern that Beijing has posted personnel from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to its
‘ILLEGAL RULING’: The KMT and the TPP slammed the Constitutional Court judgement, saying it contravened the law and was trying to clear the way for a ‘green dictatorship’ The Constitutional Court yesterday ruled that amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) passed by the Legislative Yuan last year are unconstitutional, as they contravene due legislative process and separation of powers. The Legislative Yuan on Dec. 20 last year passed amendments stipulating that no fewer than 10 grand justices must take part in deliberations of the Constitutional Court, and at least nine grand justices must agree to declare a law unconstitutional. The Executive Yuan on Jan. 2 requested that lawmakers reconsider the bill, but the Legislative Yuan, under a combined majority of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party