President Chen Shui-bian (
"When I served as a legislator my aides made mistakes, such as miscalculating figures or misplacing decimal points at times," Chen said.
"I always encouraged them not to be afraid of these experiences because I would be able to help them improve," Chen said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has responded to DPP attacks regarding KMT Chairman and presidential candidate Lien Chan's (
A DPP campaign booklet focusing on Lien's real estate holdings said that Lien owned 699.45 hectares of land and apartments in Taipei. In a second version of the booklet, the figure was changed to 699.45 kungmu. The KMT says that the second figure is inflated as well because it is expressed in the wrong unit, and it should in fact be 699.45m2.
The Presidential Office yesterday sponsored a gathering at which the president welcomed incoming members of the Second Presidential Office Fellows corps, who will work as volunteers in public affairs over the coming year.
Chen praised the young generation for its creativity and vision, which he said are the driving force behind bringing progress to the government and the country.
"During my time as a legislator, I never ignored my aides' proposals or their suggestions, even ones that weren't mature," Chen said. "I read what they wrote with a sense of respect and tried my best to derive maximum benefit from their ideas."
Chen said that many talented young people have assisted him in his political career.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of