Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
"There is no violence in my family," Lien answered briefly as reporters asked for his comment on the report.
Lien yesterday published a new book amid spiraling rumors of his wife-beating, triggered by a report in the latest issue of Next magazine.
Confronted with a letter the magazine claimed had been written by his daughter, Lien Hui-hsin (連惠心), to complain about her father beating his wife, Lien Fang Yu (連方瑀), Lien Chan refused to respond to details in the letter.
Lien's book, Only Changes Can Bring Hope, illustrates the KMT presidential candidate's models of national leaders. The eight-chapter book, Lien said, explained how he planned to solve the problems facing the country.
After conversations with grassroots supporters over the past few years, Lien said he analyzed problems generated during the course of Taiwan's democratization.
"I also mapped out the goals Taiwan should achieve," he said.
Also covering his observation of changes and developments in international politics over the years, Lien said he would rule the country by three principles he coined if elected -- "the Principle of the New Taiwanese, the Principle of New Development and the Principle of New Cooperation."
Based on the three principles, the KMT presidential hopeful promised to create "clean politics, a vibrant economy, a just society, win-win cross-strait policies and an efficient government" for the Taiwanese people.
"I hope President Chen Shui-bian (
"The problems Taiwan is facing now were all caused by Chen's government." he said.
Attacking Chen's "self-confining" ideology and "old-fashioned" ideas, Lien said Taiwan underwent significant changes since his rival took power four years ago.
"Unfortunately, these changes only led Taiwan in the wrong direction," he said.
Taiwan's politics, economy and society have all deteriorated as a result of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government's administration, Lien said.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit