Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
"We hope that communist China will adopt a hands-off policy vis-a-vis Taiwan's election," Lien said when asked about the Chinese-French exercises.
"Chen Shui-bian has been trying to use a confrontational situation between the two sides of the Strait to his own benefit," Lien told a news conference.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"I think mainland China is not foolish enough to correspond in such a matter," Lien said.
Beijing has dismissed suggestions of a link between the timing of the unprecedented joint exercises -- launched on Tuesday about 1,250km from Taiwan's northernmost point -- and the presidential election on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Chen told an election rally France was "evil hearted" for siding with China in exchange for its own commercial interests.
"China test-fired missiles in 1996 and waged a war of words four years ago. This time ... China and France even conducted joint exercises that are the biggest yet in scale," Chen said.
Meanwhile, with the election countdown at less than 72 hours, the campaign team of the opposition KMT-People First Party (PFP) alliance is gearing up with hectic campaign events in the final hours.
Three mass campaign rallies are slated to take place tonight in Tainan City, Kaohsiung County and Taipei County. In a political division of labor, the alliance's presidential hopeful Lien will take the stage in the rallies in the south while his running mate, PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), will lead the rally in Hsinchuang, Taipei County.
On the election eve of tomorrow night, four big campaign rallies will be staged simultaneously in Taipei, Taoyuan County, Taichung and Koahsiung to give Lien's election bid a final injection before voters go tothe polls on Saturday.
According to the alliance's tentative planning, Lien and his wife, Lien Fang Yu (
As for Soong, he and his wife, Chen Wan-shui (
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who also doubles as the campaign manager of the alliance's national campaign headquarters, will first take the stage promoting Lien's candidacy in Taipei before heading to Taichung, while the legislative speaker and the director-general of the alliance's national campaign headquarters, Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), will stump for Lien and Soong in Kaohsiung first before showing up at the rally in Taoyuan.
The alliance's spokesman, Alex Tsai (
Aiming to maintain Lien's lead over President Chen Shui-bian (
Lien will today take part in street processions in Sangchung, Hsinchuang and Luchou areas while Soong will appeal to passers-by for support in Chunghho, Yungho and Hsintien. Ma will attempt to boost Lien's popularity in the Panchiao area.
Not forgetting the nation's eastern side, Lien yesterday afternoon took part in a street procession in downtown Hualien.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
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