Taipei County Commissioner Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who has impressed people with his humor, efficiency and his trademark bald head, published an autobiography yesterday recounting his 56 years and his vision for the country's future.
Su gave a speech yesterday at the Far Eastern Plaza on the metamorphosis and development of Taipei County on the invitation of the book's publisher, Commonwealth Publishing Co.
PHOTO: CNA
Su's speech attracted over 100 people. But Su did not promote his book in the address, insisting on separating public affairs from private interests.
"For a long time, people have had a vague image of Taipei County," Su said. "People do not understand Taipei County. They don't know how large it is, they don't know how many people live there and don't know its history.
"In a sense, it is an invisible city to many people in Taiwan," Su said.
Su said many people refer to themselves as Taipei residents or people of Chungho, Sanchung or Hsinchuang.
"But they seldom realize that they actually live in Taipei County," he said.
Su added that many people settled in Taipei County in their youth -- getting married, having children and establishing their career -- yet do not identify themselves as county residents.
"What I've been working on is building up the collective identity and sense of honor for residents living in Taipei County, and to make them say proudly and loudly that `I am of Taipei County.'" Su said.
He said although Taipei County is the nation's most populous county, with nearly 3.67 million people -- more than the population of Singapore -- it does not get the funding or attention that it deserves.
"Taipei County, which is eight times larger than Taipei City, has only half the budget that Taipei City has. We seem to be put in a subordinate place, which is unfair," he said.
Su said he tries hard to overcome the difficulties brought by a lack of funding.
Despite limited budgets, Su said the Taipei County Government has seen through the rebirth of many abandoned spaces and factories into commercial areas.
"We want our residents to live in their own community and to consume in Taipei County," he said.
Su said he is proud of the renovation along the embankment of Tamsui River, which he said gave Taipei County a new atmosphere.
"About 59 basketball courts, 10 baseball diamonds and five fishing ponds were built along the river," Su said. "I know we save many kids from idling, gambling or doing drugs after class."
Su said he disagreed with a proposal by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
"I agree to simplify the administrative divisions of government," Su said. "But I oppose any proposal lacking deliberation and study. What Taiwan needs now is long-term planning rather than irresponsible remarks."
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard