The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday announced some of its candidates for the year-end county commissioner and mayoral elections, and vowed to fully participate in the elections.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday also announced that it will collaborate with the People First Party (PFP) in nominating a candidate for the Hsinchu County commissioner's post, challenging Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) incumbent Cheng Yung-chin (鄭永金).
TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) yesterday said that the party is evaluating the possibility of TSU candidates running in each district. The party may also enlist TSU Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) to run for Keelung mayor and former TSU legislator Chien Lin Hui-chien (錢林慧君) to run for Tainan mayor.
Former TSU legislator Cheng Cheng-lung (程振隆) will run for the Yunlin County commissionership. It is unclear at this point who will run against him, as the other parties have yet to announce their candidates for the position. The post is currently unfilled. In addition, TSU Legislator Ho Min-hao (何敏豪) will be running against Jason Hu (胡志強) for Taichung mayor. According to Chen, the final nomination list will be announced after candidates for National Assembly elections are nominated on May 14.
The TSU will work with the DPP in nominating a slate of nominees for that election.
"Basically we will still negotiate with the DPP over the nomination list out of courtesy, but the TSU will not make too many concessions to the DPP this time," Chen said. "The TSU has its own platform and I think we have a good chance in smaller counties and cities."
Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) will make public other nominees next Friday, Chen said.
Meanwhile, the DPP and the PFP are working together to get KMT Legislator Chiu Ching-chun (邱鏡淳) to withdraw from the KMT's primary for the Hsinchu County commissionership and defect to the DPP. Chiu is challenging fellow KMT member and Hsinchu County Commissioner Cheng Yung-chin for the position.
However, Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), a spokesperson for the DPP's information and culture department said yesterday that although the party contacted Chiu, this did not signal the beginning of cross-party cooperation between the DPP and the PFP.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
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Temperatures are forecast to drop steadily as a continental cold air mass moves across Taiwan, with some areas also likely to see heavy rainfall, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. From today through early tomorrow, a cold air mass would keep temperatures low across central and northern Taiwan, and the eastern half of Taiwan proper, with isolated brief showers forecast along Keelung’s north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City’s mountainous areas and eastern Taiwan, it said. Lows of 11°C to 15°C are forecast in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan County, and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and 14°C to 17°C
STEERING FAILURE: The first boat of its class is experiencing teething issues as it readies for acceptance by the navy, according to a recent story about rudder failure The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first locally built submarine, allegedly suffered a total failure of stern hydraulic systems during the second round of sea acceptance trials on June 26, and sailors were forced to manually operate the X-rudder to turn the submarine and return to port, news Web site Mirror Daily reported yesterday. The report said that tugboats following the Hai Kun assisted the submarine in avoiding collisions with other ships due to the X-rudder malfunctioning. At the time of the report, the submarine had completed its trials and was scheduled to begin diving and surfacing tests in shallow areas. The X-rudder,
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