Candidates for Taipei County commissioner, a post regarded as a key election prize, will walk down different paths now that the election is over.
The DPP's Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who won the position, yesterday vowed to continue his efforts in the county, while his rival, the New Party's Wang Chien-shien (王建火宣), announced his retirement from politics.
Su, also incumbent Taipei County Commissioner, yesterday expressed his appreciation to voters by visiting DPP campaign branches in 12 townships to shake hands with supporters.
"I try to tell my supporters in person that I will carry through on all [my promised] policies in the county," Su said.
Su's achievements in his past four years in power made him a legend in Saturday's election. Su has become the only DPP local chief in northern Taiwan, successfully holding onto DPP territory.
Su gained more than 870,000 votes, breaking the record for local elections in Taipei County. Four years ago, Su received support from about 570,000 residents.
Political watchers said that one of Su's successful strategies was his distancing himself from the DPP-dominated central government.
He stressed during his campaign that he will continue to carry out all policies over what will be his eight years in power.
Meanwhile, Wang of the New Party announced his retirement from political circles yesterday.
Although the "pan-blue" camp tried to work together by persuading candidates with the KMT and PFP to withdraw from the race, Wang, a former finance minister in the early 1990s, gained only a little over 820,000 votes on Saturday.
"I've done my best. I will not take part in any public elections in the future," Wang said, implying his disappointment over the political situation.
In particular, Wang said, he felt so sorry about the results of the legislative election because many of what he thinks are excellent New Party candidates failed to secure voter support. The New Party managed to win only one legislative seat.
Wang went to church with his wife yesterday morning and sang in the chorus. Wang expressed his appreciation to voters and said he would go back to university to teach, continue to assist charities and spend time with his family.
Political observers said that it remains uncertain whether Wang's retirement will accelerate the New Party's decay. Wang is one of six founders of the party, established in 1993.
But Wang, one of the party's most influential figures, has his own opinions about his retirement.
"It's time for senior New Party pioneers to take a rest. A new generation should now fight for the support of Taiwanese people," Wang said.
New Party Convener Hsieh Chi-ta (謝啟大) said yesterday that she would shoulder the blame for the party's failure in the elections by quitting her position on Dec. 8, when a committee meeting will be held.
"We still have 3 percent of voters' support. The New Party will struggle to the very end and will never be merged with other political parties," Hsieh said.
‘SECRETS’: While saying China would not attack during his presidency, Donald Trump declined to say how Washington would respond if Beijing were to take military action US President Donald Trump said that China would not take military action against Taiwan while he is president, as the Chinese leaders “know the consequences.” Trump made the statement during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes program that aired on Sunday, a few days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in South Korea. “He [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘we would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump said in the interview. However, he repeatedly declined to say exactly how Washington would respond in
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday that China using armed force against Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, allowing the country to mobilize the Japanese armed forces under its security laws. Takaichi made the remarks during a parliamentary session yesterday while responding to a question about whether a "Taiwan contingency" involving a Chinese naval blockade would qualify as a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, according to a report by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun. "If warships are used and other armed actions are involved, I believe this could constitute a survival- threatening
WARFARE: All sectors of society should recognize, unite, and collectively resist and condemn Beijing’s cross-border suppression, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said The number of Taiwanese detained because of legal affairs by Chinese authorities has tripled this year, as Beijing intensified its intimidation and division of Taiwanese by combining lawfare and cognitive warfare, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) made the statement in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Puma Shen (沈柏洋) about the government’s response to counter Chinese public opinion warfare, lawfare and psychological warfare. Shen said he is also being investigated by China for promoting “Taiwanese independence.” He was referring to a report published on Tuesday last week by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency,
‘ADDITIONAL CONDITION’: Taiwan will work with like-minded countries to protect its right to participate in next year’s meeting, the foreign ministry said The US will “continue to press China for security arrangements and protocols that safeguard all participants when attending APEC meetings in China,” a US Department of State spokesperson said yesterday, after Beijing suggested that members must adhere to its “one China principle” to participate. “The United States insists on the full and equal participation of all APEC member economies — including Taiwan — consistent with APEC’s guidelines, rules and established practice, as affirmed by China in its offer to host in 2026,” the unnamed spokesperson said in response to media queries about China putting a “one China” principle condition on Taiwan’s
RSS