The newly formed Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth Corps yesterday began the registration process to elect its leader and called on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to "follow its example."
"We hope that DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun will also establish a youth corps and choose its leader through a nationwide election in order to improve the political situation in Taiwan and the DPP's relationship with the KMT," said spokesman Lu Chi-chiang (
Earlier yesterday morning, during the press conference to announce the party's youth corps leadership election, corps members shouted "Youth rules!" and pledged to strive for greater roles for youth in the political world.
"Young people were treated like vassals with no real power in political parties. Now the KMT has given us the stage and our direct involvement in the decision-making process will revolutionize politics," said the corps' election committee chief Chang Si-gang (
The formation of the KMT Youth Corps, which will be formally established in March, was one of KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's (
While the corps is intended to attract youthful talent, it has been dubbed by the media as a "clique of princes," with senior members including former KMT chairman Lien Chan's (
Many expected that Lien Sheng-wen, who is seen as a promising star already in the party, would be the corps' leader, but he declined to enter the election.
In addition to KMT Legislator Justin Chou (
"I join the race not for my personal power and fame, but to unite the party's young people. The KMT failed to take the youth seriously in the past and I can't absent myself from this important election," Chou said yesterday when registering.
The election registration process runs until Feb. 7. Voters will be able to make their choice by mail, telephone and online. The result will be announced on March 29.
Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
US climber Alex Honnold left Taiwan this morning a day after completing a free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, a feat that drew cheers from onlookers and gained widespread international attention. Honnold yesterday scaled the 101-story skyscraper without a rope or safety harness. The climb — the highest urban free-solo ascent ever attempted — took just more than 90 minutes and was streamed live on Netflix. It was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. As Honnold prepared to leave Taiwan today, he attracted a crowd when he and his wife, Sanni,
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