President Chen Shui-bian
Chen and Lee went to National Taiwan University Hospital, where Yu's mother, Huang Shou-chu
Cabinet spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) said yesterday that the hospital informed the premier that the condition of his mother, who was suffering from lung cancer, had begun to deteriorate at 3:40pm on Friday.
"The premier canceled everything on his schedule and rushed to the hospital," Chuang said.
Huang died at 7:30pm. According to the hospital, the cancer had spread to her liver and she suffered complications including pneumonia and pleural effusion, which led to the failure of her heart and lungs. She was 78.
The president visited Huang at the hospital two weeks ago after the premier had offered to resign over the government's about-face on reform of farmers' and fishermen's associations.
Yu expressed his gratitude to the president and Vice President Annette Lu
Yu's father died when he was 14 years old. Yu, as the oldest child, dropped out of school to help his mother earn enough money for the family.
The premier once recalled that he often studied on the back of a cow. He was 38 when he finally graduated from university.
Yu said that when he was campaigning as a provincial councilor candidate in 1981, his mother questioned whether he would remember his humble background if he were elected.
"Those who have the fortune to be provincial councilors all have their stars in heaven. What about you?" Huang asked him.
After becoming premier, Yu once said that without his mother's support, it would have been impossible for him to survive his years as a youth.
Yu said his interest in public affairs was largely nurtured by his mother.
"As a child, my mother often asked me to help with household chores and sent me to our neighbors' houses. As a result, I had a lot of opportunities to get involved in neighborhood affairs," Yu said.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS