The new chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Chang Cheng-hsiung (張政雄), said yesterday at his inauguration that the commission is facing many challenges.
"As democracy is further taking root in our society by the day, all political parties and the public become more aware and concerned about every single election that is being held, which elevates the expectations that others have for the CEC," said Chang at his inauguration ceremony.
Chang added that as the holding of referendums has been newly added to commission's responsibilities, the CEC will have to go through more trials in the future.
"The commission will exercise its determination and patience to build an efficient team. Furthermore, we will do it with impartiality, openness and fairness, to study the pitfalls of election affairs in the past and to improve our accuracy performance in the future," said Chang.
Chang also said that he hoped the Legislative Yuan would amend the Referendum Law (公投法) to make the commission the management authority for referendums.
In response to People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) previous claim that Chang's appointed chairmanship was a move in preparation for President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election, Chang said that he did not support anyone in particular.
"The matter of a possible re-election involves a law suit requesting the court to rule that the [presidential and vice-presidential] election was a fraud. I do not want to comment on that, out of my respect for the justice system; however, I do want to say that I do not support anyone in particular. In the future, I will execute my job with impartiality and my performance will fulfill my mission," Chang said.
Chang's appointment by the Cabinet as the head of the CEC has resulted in strong opposition from pan-blue camp as well as the Democratic Action Alliance, who both believe that Chang's pan-green proclivity in the past will cause him to be biased when executing his job.
Yesterday's inauguration ceremony was presided over by Hsu Chih-hsiung (許志雄), Minister of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, who praised Chang for his long-term experience in law.
"Chang has been an attorney-at-law for 37 years and his name is renowned in the field, especially in the area of human rights. Chang's deep belief in democracy was illustrated when he served as court martial defense counsel for the defendants arrested during the 1979 Kaohsiung Incident (
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or