President Chen Shui-bian (
Thousands of Tainan residents gathered in the streets to welcome the president. Tight security measures were in place, including Chen's wearing a bullet proof vest inside his jacket.
PHOTO: CHEN YI-MIN, TAIPEI TIMES
Upon arrival in Tainan County, he went to Fo-jui Temple (
In the wake of the shooting incident, the safety of the president was of the utmost importance. In order to ensure his safety, secret service agents formed a human chain to create a clear passage through the crowds for Chen. The president clasped both of this hands to show his appreciation to the people.
Along with his wife, Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍), and mother, Li Shen (李慎), Chen headed out to Tsuochen Village (左鎮鄉) to pay homage to his late father-in-law, Wu Kun-chi (吳崑池). He also took part in a religious service at Huei-an Temple (惠安宮) in Kuantien township (官田鄉), where he grew up. The service symbolized the president's gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon him by his re-election.
The streets of Kuantien township were swamped with residents who hoped to meet the president. Chen decided to walk from the temple to his old house, which enabled him to shake hands with supporters and greet the crowds.
Chen promised the residents that in the next four years, he would strive for a stronger economy and turn Taiwan into a complete and beautiful nation of democracy.
In the evening, the president met Lin Chin-yi (
Although the March 19 shooting took place in the afternoon on a street in Tainan City, Chen's insistence on visiting Tainan as his first trip outside of Taipei signified his high respect for his hometown.
The visit was initially slated to take place on Saturday, but was postponed to yesterday due to bad weather.
"The President's Office announced that the home visits of both the president and the vice president would be unaffected by the shooting incident. Besides, the president would not be kept from interacting with the crowds," said Presidential Office spokesman James Huang (
DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (
Being secluded in the Presidential Office for the past two weeks had been rather unexciting for Chen as well as his staff members, Gao said.
"Maybe the public would have thought that after the shooting, President Chen would not be traveling as much as he had in the past four years. Nevertheless, being the headstrong person he is, the president would not be affected by the shooting," Gao said.
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
RSS