A fistfight broke out between pan-blue and pan-green lawmakers yesterday during an argument over a meeting about a secret fund of the National Security Bureau (NSB), which was scheduled for the same day as a meeting of the legislature's defense committee.
Five lawmakers were involved in the fight. They included four members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and one People First Party (PFP) Legislator. The DPP belongs to the pan-green camp and the PFP to the pan-blue camp.
PHOTO: CNA
It was the first clash of such magnitude at a meeting of the defense committee. Minor scuffles have occurred in the past.
Yesterday's fracas resulted from a difference of opinion over holding a meeting about a secret NSB fund that existed during the term of former president Lee Teng-hui (
Lawmakers of the pan-green camp argued that the meeting could not be held yesterday, because it is against the legislature's rules to hold a committee meeting on the same day as a general meeting of the legislature.
The defense committee had arranged to hold a meeting yesterday on the insistence of pan-blue lawmakers, despite the legislature's general meeting, which had also been slated for yesterday. The defense committee originally did not have any meeting scheduled for yesterday, but its schedule had been changed on Monday by the blue camp. This prompted lawmakers of the DPP and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) to lodge a protest prior to the opening of yesterday's meeting of the defense committee.
Pan-blue lawmakers, mainly from the PFP, reacted strongly to the protest. They insisted that the general meeting should take preference, since the matters under discussion should have been completed on Tuesday, but the pan-green camp had deliberately postponed the meeting until yesterday.
PFP lawmaker Chung Shao-ho (
Three other DPP lawmakers, including Kuo Wen-chen (
The fight did not change anything, however. The meeting on the NSB's secret funds took place as scheduled.
All the lawmakers involved in the fight had left the building by then, with some going to hospitals to treat their wounds and others back to their offices to arrange press conferences about what happened.
Lee might actually be the key to the conflict between the pan-blue and pan-green camps, since the pan-blue camp is demanding that the NSB explain Lee's suspected connection with the secret fund.
The NSB did not give any hint at the meeting that Lee might have used the secret fund for his personal interests or any illegal activities.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS