Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
After learning that Wang was on a trip yesterday to his hometown of Kaohsiung to consult with supporters about the possibility of entering the chairmanship race, Ma said he has never expected to run unopposed, adding that having more candidates enter the race is better for the KMT because it means more people are interested in serving the party.
Noting that the KMT would begin candidate registrations after March 21, Ma said he would announce his candidacy in April, at which time he would begin seeking the sponsorship of party members to enter the race.
Meanwhile, Wang said yesterday that he still has to decide over the next few days whether he should run for the KMT chairmanship, but that if he does, the campaign would be rational and peaceful.
The politically-savvy speaker made the remarks while attending a ceremony marking the establishment of the "Friends of Jin-pyng in Kaohsiung County" support group. A similar group was established in Pingtung County the same day.
Wang said earlier that he wants incumbent KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Wang, a legislator for 10 consecutive terms, expressed appreciation to his supporters, saying that the party, after losses in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, has faced a number of problems.
Wang also said he will consider whether he is fit to serve in the post, to continue the reforms started by Lien, integrate the KMT and its two splinter parties -- the New Party and the People First Party (PFP) -- and to deal with the controversial issue of party assets and inject new blood into the party to make it "Taiwanese."
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS