The KMT yesterday selected Huang Jun-ying (黃俊英), former deputy mayor of Kaohsiung, as its contestant to vie to become the KMT-PFP joint candidate for Kaohsiung mayor.
Huang is in competition with PFP's pick, its vice chairman, Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄).
KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (
"We hope very much that Huang Jun-ying will win the support of the PFP and represent the two parties to run in the race," Lin said.
Vice president of I-Shou University and a professor of business administration, the 61-year-old Huang is more an academic than politician.
Huang taught at National Chengchi University, California State Polytechnic University and National Sun Yat-sen University before joining the faculty of I-Shou University.
His political credentials include serving as the deputy mayor of Kaohsiung from 1995 to 1998 and 10 years as vice chairman of the Cabinet's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission from 1979 to 1987.
The KMT has favored Huang Jun-ying over two other aspirants -- Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Huang Chi-chuan (
The party spent much time over the past weeks persuading Huang Chi-chuan and Yao to drop their bids so they could wrap up the selection process yesterday.
According to Lin, the decision, which was made after a long period of negotiations, was one that transcended the confines of local political factions and yet took into account the possible development of the campaign.
Lin urged Huang Chi-chuan, Yao and their supporters to back up the party's decision in the interests of the party and for the sake of the future development of Kaohsiung.
Unveiling his campaign platform yesterday, Huang Jun-ying pledged to form a professional administration to develop Kaohsiung into a free port with a strong industrial infrastructure, a prosperous city with an energetic population and a charming city with a pleasant environment.
Of his low approval rating, Huang said this was "reasonable" because he had not appeared in local political scene and enjoyed little media exposure over the past few years.
Huang was upbeat that his approval rating would continue to grow after he officially joined the campaign, in light of the fact that the rating has risen to 20 percent in a poll released two days ago from 0.8 percent a few months ago.
PFP Secretary-General David Chung (
Chung, however, proposed that the KMT join the PFP to establish a "Kaohsiung new hope alliance" to react to Kaohsiung residents' anticipation to find a mayor better than the DPP incumbent Frank Hsieh (
Chung explained that the purpose of such an alliance would be to unite all forces outside the DPP to win the election.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
RSS