The campaign headquarters of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman hopeful, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
With only one week remaining until the election, the Wang camp yesterday announced its plans to hold a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard on the night of July 15 for all of Wang's supporters as well as participants in last year's pan-blue mass protests against the results of the presidential election.
Procedures
The Wang camp has already followed the necessary procedures to request the use of Ketagalan Boulevard for the rally, Wang's campaign headquarters spokesman Hou Han-chun (
"The main purpose of the rally is to gather all those that are concerned about the KMT chairmanship election, the future of the pan-blue camp, and those that support Wang. We also want to let the participants in last year's March 27 protests gather together again," Hou said.
Indirectly challenging Ma, Hou said yesterday that while the Wang camp will respect the city government's decision, he does not think there should be any reason why the rally should not be permitted, given the significance of Ketagalan Boulevard for pan-blue supporters.
Hundreds of thousands of disappointed pan-blue supporters flooded the streets in front of the Presidential Office last year in the days following the March 20 presidential election to protest the ballot's results.
In what has become a point of contention that the Wang camp has utilized in its campaigning, Ma has been criticized for not taking a more active role in the protests last year.
The prospects for the proposed rally seemed dim yesterday, with Ma saying that the city government had not received the necessary forms in time for the rally to be held.
Late submission
According to the timetable for holding an assembly or rally, the city government said yesterday that an application for an assembly must be submitted at least 10 days before the event's proposed date.
Given that the Wang camp had only sent in its application forms on July 8 for the July 15 rally, it is unlikely that the rally will be allowed.
"The right to assembly is a right protected in the Constitution. All [applications] that are in accordance with the rules will be approved. [I] am definitely not causing difficulties [for Wang]," Ma said yesterday.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man