After the setback of a disappointing performance in the legislative elections, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) is reorganizing and working on internal reforms.
According to TSU sources, TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (
The new line-up of senior officials will be announced on Monday after a meeting of the TSU central executive committee, TSU Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (
"We will make public the new officials' names and elect new executive committee members next Monday. Hopefully it will increase the prospects of the TSU," Lin said.
Lin, who announced he would also step down to shoulder responsibility for the election failure, yesterday confirmed reports that Huang would quit and a new chairman installed on Feb. 1.
However, Lin declined to confirm if he and Huang met with former president Lee Teng-hui (
Favored candidates for TSU chairman are Taiwan Advocates vice president Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝), former National Security Council senior advisor and former TSU secretary-general Su Chin-chiang (蘇進強), national policy advisor to the president Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興) and Chen Po-chih (陳博志), chairman of Taiwan Thinktank. All declined to comment on the matter.
A number of unsuccessful TSU candidates who nonetheless garnered a strong vote are expected to serve as senior officials.
According to Lin, TSU Chiayi City legislative candidate Ling Tzu-chu (
Unsuccessful Taipei City candidate Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) and Tainan County candidate Chien Lin Hui-chien (錢林慧君) will serve as, respectively, director of the legislative caucus office and director of the department for women's development.
Rookie TSU candidate Chiu Teh-hung (
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
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