More than 30 KMT lawmakers have stayed on good terms with the TSU and will be courted by the party to participate in President Chen Shui-bian's (
Lee Shang-ren (
Despite denials from TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (黃主文) and several KMT lawmakers who have been identified by media reports as possible participants in the alliance, Lee yesterday acknowledged that "discussions are under way and many KMT lawmakers have responded positively."
During his trip to Africa, Chen resurrected his proposed alliance, saying it would help bring stability to the unruly legislature.
The president first introduced the idea in the lead up to December's legislative elections, but the proposal languished because the "pan blue" camp didn't want to participate.
Chen has said he's determined to form the pact this time around. The experience of the past six months shows that the "opposition has totally rejected any possibility of a rational public policy debate."
The DPP and TSU together hold 102 seats in the 225-member legislature. Chen hopes to line up 120 members for his alliance to form a stable majority.
Though the DPP is the legislature's biggest party, analysts say the TSU plays a crucial role in the alliance proposal. The party's spiritual leader, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), remains an influential leader among KMT members and independent lawmakers.
Lee said the TSU backs President Chen's alliance because it is in line with the purpose of Taiwan Advocates (
"When Taiwan Advocates was established, it was meant to serve as a platform for pro-localization KMT lawmakers to collaborate with the DPP," he said.
The idea for a cross-party alliance is also similar to former president Lee's proposal last summer, the TSU official said. At the time, Lee had said that if the DPP could win 85 seats in the legislative polls, up to 35 others would "cross over" to give it the majority it needs to pass legislation.
TSU lawmaker Huang Chung-yuan (
Huang said the TSU was willing and able to help out the DPP, as the TSU has better connections with the KMT compared with the DPP.
In addition to TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen, other former KMT members now belonging to the TSU include party Secretary-general Lin Jih-chia (
Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
US climber Alex Honnold left Taiwan this morning a day after completing a free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, a feat that drew cheers from onlookers and gained widespread international attention. Honnold yesterday scaled the 101-story skyscraper without a rope or safety harness. The climb — the highest urban free-solo ascent ever attempted — took just more than 90 minutes and was streamed live on Netflix. It was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. As Honnold prepared to leave Taiwan today, he attracted a crowd when he and his wife, Sanni,
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
RSS