Several Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers from different factions scolded each other yesterday for soliciting favors from President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in a sleazy manner.
Three New Tide faction members, convener Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) and two faction's old guards Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) and Hong Chi-chang (洪奇昌), and Justice Alliance member Lin Chung-mo (林重謨) were involved in a round of nasty verbal exchanges.
Lin Chung-mo began the quarrel when he highlighted Tuan's recent attack on the Control Yuan nominees and Lin Cho-shui's (
Lin Cho-shui also stated that "US President George W. Bush hates A-bian," Lin Chung-mo said.
Then, Lin Chung-mo criticized the New Tide faction for "impeding President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) at crucial moments." Lin asserted that Hong said after the Financial Holding Company Act (金控法) was passed that it was an act to save the president's supporters from future problems.
"On the surface the New Tide is pretending to be morally superior by criticizing the president, but under the table they are trying to solicit government posts," Lin Chung-mo said.
"Has the New Tide not solicited enough posts? Aren't National Security Council Secretary-General Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp chairman Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) and Council of Labor Affairs Chairwoman Chen Chu (陳菊) from the New Tide?" Lin Chung-mo asked, urging that the president should not be prevented from any action out of concerns for possible criticism from the New Tide.
"If the A-bian administration really sucks, as the New Tide said, all the New Tide officials should resign," Lin Chung-mo said.
Lin Cho-shui, meanwhile, stressed again that it was clear that Bush hated Chen from "lots of evidence," and urged the government to draft plans immediately to respond to the "situation."
"If Taiwan becomes a part of China, then what posts are left to be solicited?" Lin Cho-shui responded.
Tuan, who lost his legislative re-election bid, also gave Lin Cho-shui his support.
"A clown like Lin Chung-mo should not use the occasion of the party chairman election to gain publicity," Tuan said.
Earlier, Lin stated his intention to run for the DPP chairmanship.
"Lin Chung-mo should not try to show his loyalty to the president by attacking the New Tide," Tuan said.
"It is a strange thing that a man should need to state his loyalty to the president incessantly," Tuan said.
Hong, meanwhile, also denied the accusation and said that DPP members should be concerned about the country's future rather than fighting among themselves.
“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
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
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a southwestern extension of the Sanying MRT Line from New Taipei to Bade District (八德) in Taoyuan, with a goal of starting construction by late 2026. The 4.03-kilometer extension, featuring three new stations, will run from the current terminus at Yingtao Fude Station (LB12) in New Taipei City to Dannan Station (LB14), where it will connect with Taoyuan’s Green Line, New Taipei City Metro Corp said in a statement. This extension will follow the completion of core Sanying Line, a 14.29-kilometer medium-capacity system linking Tucheng (土城), Sansia (三峽)