Since the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) only nominated two candidates so far to run in the year-end elections, TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (
The TSU yesterday held an education seminar, attended by 52 possible candidates, on campaigning strategies for the year-end elections. The party's spiritual leader, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), arrived at the venue in the late afternoon to encourage the candidates to work hard for victory in the "life-and-death" elections.
The TSU has been "declaring war" against the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) over the past two months and vowed to spoil the DPP's election outcome with surplus nominations. However, owing to its fledgling local network and lack of adequate candidates, the TSU has only nominated two candidates so far in the commissioner and mayoral elections -- former party secretary-general Chen Chien-ming (
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Forty-eight candidates will run for seats on city and county councils and two will run for local township chief positions.
Shu, who originally planned to campaign in the Yunlin County Commissioner election but withdrew from the race, said that he decided to stand back because he has to pay attention to the overall election condition as the party's campaign commander.
After visiting local party chapters around the country, Shu said that he found most of the people living in south Taiwan are generally unsatisfied with their local governments' infrastructure and economic policies. "Therefore, the TSU candidates here have to be attentive to voters' needs and respond to their wishes in terms of these aspects," Shu told the nominees.
He also encouraged candidates to highlight issues affecting people's livelihoods as their election platforms. He said that the TSU will arrange for Lee to campaign for all the party's candidates -- his health permitting.
"We will let the people of Taiwan realize that the TSU is still growing strong and sturdy and is not yet dying out, as some media have been suggesting," Shu said. "These elections will be an important foundation for the legislative elections in 2007 and we have to stand out."
Compared to the ruling DPP, Shu said that the TSU seemed to have "disappeared from the scene" and enjoyed little media coverage.
He said, however, that this could be because DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (
Meanwhile, Lee told the candidates that there is only one secret for success in the election -- "hard work."
"Voters will recognize your efforts if you show them your real passion and ambition," he said.
Lee also said that if the TSU performs well in the year-end elections, the party will nominate its candidates for the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections in 2006 to challenge the DPP.
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