The Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) Strategy and Discourse Unit (國民黨策略論述小組) is struggling to reach a consensus on dropping the word "Chinese" from the party's name, KMT Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) said yesterday.
"The idea of renaming the party came up during the unit's [Friday night] meeting, said Chen, a member of the panel assigned by KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) last month to set the course of the party's policies and strategy.
"But there was no consensus with regard to this issue," Chen said.
"We will take the issue with us in our visits with the grassroots [party members] next month to gather others' opinions on this matter," he said.
Chen said that renaming the party was suggested by Liao Ta-chi (
According to Chen, approximately 50 percent of those surveyed by the party regard themselves as Taiwanese.
About another 20 percent regard themselves as "Taiwanese as well as Chinese," according to Chen.
"The numbers suggested that about 70 percent of the public harbor Taiwan consciousness," Chen said.
"If the KMT wants to be a ruling party, it must not neglect the growing Taiwan consciousness," Chen said.
The same survey showed that only about 30 percent of respondents feel that the KMT needs to change its name.
Chen cited the People First Party and the New Party as parties that don't mention "Chinese" in their names -- yet the majority of the public associates these parties with China.
Chen said that other members of the unit voiced reservations about a name change.
"So it may mean that whether or not the party changes its name does not make a big difference, but the idea is open for all to discuss," Chen said.
While acknowledging that dropping the word "Chinese" from the party's name could help strengthen its pro-localization credentials, Wang yesterday cited advantages and disadvantages of a name change.
Wang said the party will not take action hastily: "The unit now is just in the preliminary stages of gathering opinion from everyone with regard to this name-change proposal ... A conclusive decision on this issue will not be made until it is taken to the party's Central Standing Committee, or even to the party's national congress."
KMT Legislator Lee Chia-chin (
"The party might even want to contemplate removing the word `national' from its name as well, if such a thing is necessary," Lee said.
Chen yesterday said that the strategy panel, co-headed by party Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (
LOW RISK: Most nations do not extradite people accused of political crimes, and the UN says extradition can only happen if the act is a crime in both countries, an official said China yesterday issued wanted notices for two Taiwanese influencers, accusing them of committing “separatist acts” by criticizing Beijing, amid broadening concerns over China’s state-directed transnational repression. The Quanzhou Public Security Bureau in a notice posted online said police are offering a reward of up to 25,000 yuan (US$3,523) for information that could contribute to the investigation or apprehension of pro-Taiwanese independence YouTuber Wen Tzu-yu (溫子渝),who is known as Pa Chiung (八炯) online, and rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源). Wen and Chen are suspected of spreading content that supported secession from China, slandered Chinese policies that benefit Taiwanese and discrimination against Chinese spouses of
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
RSS