The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday reminded Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Moreover, the party asked all supporters to keep away from the rally to avoid conflict, saying that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) may fabricate a bloody incident during the rally and accuse the DPP of resorting to violence.
The DPP said that, according to reliable information, today's rally may get out of control due to the actions of certain elements who wish to incite conflict. Therefore, the party urged Ma to promise ending the rally by the legally permitted time of 6pm.
DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (
"I want all party officials to properly cope with any possible situations, and I warn all party members that those who go to the rally will be severely punished," Chang said.
DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (
"We therefore ask the police directly to expel anyone who is wearing clothing with DPP marks from the rally, because they are absolutely not authorized by the DPP," Lee stressed.
Lee, on behalf of the DPP, asked Ma how he could attend the rally as party leader, and at the same time appeal to demonstrators to go home.
"As the mayor, [Ma's] obligation is to ensure the rights of the 2 million residents and the international image of the city. But as the KMT's presidential campaign manager, you have to mobilize supporters. So we are wondering what role exactly you will choose [today]?" Lee asked.
Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), director of the public affairs department of the DPP's campaign headquarters, also displayed documents from the KMT's Taipei City Headquarters, which showed that the party asked supporters to join the rally and demonstration not only today, but also on Monday.
"The KMT's document says that members should attend the rally to 11pm on Saturday, and attend another demonstration on Monday," Cheng said.
"Mayor Ma has given a privilege to those conducting illegal demonstrations in front of the President Office by giving permission to illegal demonstrations three times over the past week," Cheng said. "We hope that there will be no fourth recurrence on Saturday."
Concerning the DPP supporters' increasing anger with the demonstrations by the pan-blue camp, the party yesterday continued to issue advertisements in newspapers to call on supporters to believe in the government and remain silent.
MODERATE TYPHOON: Localized heavy rain is forecast to hit central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said, adding that the storm would likely move away on Saturday A sea warning for Typhoon Saudel, which shifted to a more northerly track as it approached Taiwan, is likely early today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the center of typhoon was about 630km northeast of Taipei, moving west-northwest at 14kph with maximum wind gusts of up to 162kph, CWA data showed. Saudel is a moderate typhoon and is expected to weaken as it nears Taiwan due to atmospheric and ocean conditions, CWA forecaster Lin Po-tung (林伯東) said. A sea warning indicates hazardous typhoon conditions in waters surrounding Taiwan within 24 hours, Lin said. The storm is forecast to
A Straits Exchange Foundation official today warned that yielding to political pressure in exchange for access to China’s entertainment industry rarely ends well, amid rumors that China is seeking to lure Taiwanese K-pop star Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜). Chou, more commonly known as Tzuyu, is the only Taiwanese member of the girl group Twice. Her contract with JYP Entertainment is set to expire at the end of this year, and there have been widespread reports that she would not renew it. She is reportedly planning to pursue solo activities under her parents’ agency, Yu Hai Entertainment (瑜海娛樂), although China has also reportedly offered
A tropical depression near Hainan that was once Typhoon Saudel may once again strengthen into a tropical storm, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, but a sea warning for waters around Taiwan is unlikely. CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said that Saudel would return to being a weak tropical storm by late yesterday or early this morning. However, as the storm is to gradually weaken again and would head toward China’s Guangdong Province away from Taiwan, the chances that it would affect Taiwan enough for the CWA to issue a sea warning are relatively low,
China is urging its citizens to evacuate Eswatini and warning others not to visit the tiny African kingdom over what it said were safety concerns and scamming risks in Taiwan’s last remaining diplomatic partner on the continent. In a post on WeChat, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Consular Affairs described Eswatini’s security situation as “complex,” with crimes involving online fraud and illegal gambling “rampant” and the public-security and safety risk “extremely high.” “Chinese citizens and institutions currently in the country are urged to evacuate or relocate to relatively safer areas — such as South Africa — as soon as
RSS