The shooting of President Chen Shui-bian (
"The incident will definitely have an impact on tomorrow's election because it would win some sympathy from undecided voters," said Wang Yeh-lih (王業立), chairman of Tunghai University's department of political science.
Although dramatic events have happened during election campaigns over the years, Wang said that the impact this time would be significant because of its brutality.
Yesterday's shooting was not the first time pro-unification supporters have apparently attacked political figures or commentators who opposed their views.
Last November, New York-based political commentator Cao Chang-ching (曹長青) was assaulted by members of the pro-unification Patriot Association (愛國同心會).
Unhappy with Cao's pro-independence remarks during an international conference, four members of the association beat and insulted Cao in the lobby of the Grand Hotel where the conference was being held.
In March last year, Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒), a political commentator and editor-in-chief of Contemporary Monthly magazine, was attacked while walking home with his wife. The assailant was believed to have been angry with Chin's liberal stance on cross-strait affairs and Taiwanese independence.
In May 2000, retired serviceman Shih Li-hsing (史力行) poured red ink onto former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) who, he said, had raised tensions between ethnic groups in Taiwan and betrayed the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) during his 12 years as head of the party.
Chin and Lee chose not to press charges against their attackers.
Wang said he was reluctant to say that pro-unification supporters were more violent because it was inappropriate to blame a specific camp as a whole for election violence.
"The prohibition of violence is absolute in a democratic country, and it's not conducive to social stability and harmony to lay the blame on any political camp," he said.
Refusing to speculate on the impact of the shooting on the election, Liao Yung-lai (廖永來), director of the Cabinet's Central Coordination Office, condemned violence.
"I wish voters would exercise more rationality and less passion when it comes to elections," Liao said.
Yang Ming-yu (
Yang also said that KMT officials had been brutally attacked by pro-independence advocates during KMT rule, including the late former vice president and Taiwan provincial governor, Hsieh Tung-min (
Shieh suffered serious injuries to both hands when a parcel bomb sent to his office blew up on Oct. 10, 1966. The bomb was sent by Wang Sing-nan (王幸男), who is now a DPP legislator, to highlight the cause of Taiwan independence.
Chiang escaped an assassination attempt unscathed in New York in 1970. The attempt to kill Chiang was staged by Peter Huang (黃文雄), now an advisor to the president and former Taiwan Association for Human Rights (台灣人權促進會) president.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
RSS