The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday denied that President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) family members or any members of the Chen administration had taken bribes from Tuntex Group's (東帝士集團) former chairman Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪), who pubished an ad in a Chinese-language evening paper reiterating his previous allegations.
"Coming just 19 days before election day, it is clear that Chen Yu-hao's action is a trick with which he is hoping to dominate the last phase of the presidential campaign," said Presidential Office spokesman James Huang (
"President Chen frankly discussed the relationship between himself and Chen Yu-hao during a televised interview last month, and therefore the Presidential Office will not respond further to the groundless allegations," Huang said.
"Moreover, we urge Chen Yu-hao to immediately return to Taiwan to state his case in front of the judiciary, instead of hiding in the shadows and trying to tarnish others' reputations through the media and ads," he said.
On Feb. 2, Chen Yu-hao -- who is listed as one of Taiwan's top 10 most-wanted criminals over his alleged embezzlement -- released "three public letters to President Chen," which said that he had provided political donations to the president and was even asked to pay money to Chen's aides.
At the time, the DPP asserted that Chen Yu-hao was just a tool being manipulated by the pan-blue alliance to assist Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (
Taiwan Financial Assets Services Corp (TFASC,
President Chen Shui-bian and campaign headquarters spokesman Wu Nai-jen (
A local newspaper yesterday ran a two-page interview with Chen Yu-hao, in which he said that political donations the DPP and Chen had received from his company were much more than the party and the first family admitted.
He also said that he had given a NT$10 million bribe to DPP Deputy Secretary-General Chen Che-nan (
The aide said he would speak to the tycoon's banks to try to buy him more time to pay off loans, Chen Yu-hao told the reporter from his home in San Francisco. He said he did not know where the money ended up.
Chen Yu-hao claimed that he was once accompanied by a DPP elder to personally hand over a donation of NT$3 million to the president's wife Wu Shu-chen (
James Huang read a statement during yesterday's press conference that the first lady neither met with Chen Yu-hao in private nor received any cash or checks from this businessman.
Chen Che-nan and Chang Ching-sen both said yesterday that Chen Yu-hao's allegation was merely a campaign trick.
"Chen's remarks were proven to be groundless last month," Chen Che-nan told the media yesterday morning. "The reason why he continues to tarnish us is obviously to influence the presidential election."
Last month, the DPP said that Chen Yu-hao did give NT$10 million in campaign funds during the 2000 presidential race, while the KMT also admitted accepting NT$100 million from the fugitive.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS