Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (
Campaigning for KMT legislative candidates on the last Saturday before the elections, Wu warned people not to be manipulated again by the DPP's "dirty tricks."
"Chen will make a big move soon. He will be giving speeches that link the KMT with China and smear the party's reputation at campaigning events," Wu said yesterday when campaigning for KMT Legislator Lin Hung-chih (
PHOTO: MENG CHING-TZU, TAIPEI TIMES
"The KMT will not be defeated by any `dirty tricks' during the elections," he said.
Other KMT heavyweights, including KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and former chairman Lien Chan (連戰), also spent the weekend campaigning for party candidates around the nation, calling on voters not to be overly optimistic about the outcome of the elections for the KMT.
"It's a tight election for the KMT and we can't take it [winning] for granted. We still need to work harder to attract votes," Ma said yesterday during a campaigning event in Changhua County.
Ma, Wu, Lien and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) later gathered at a campaign party at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium to promote party candidates, vowing to improve the nation's economy and people's livelihoods if the KMT regained power.
The KMT will hold another campaign party in Tainan City tonight, focusing its efforts on southern Taiwan.
KMT organization and development committee director Liao Fung-te (
In southern Taiwan, long considered a pan-green stronghold, Liao said the KMT would seek to grab at least seven of the total of 22 seats, with a goal of 12 seats.
In response to Chen's criticism of Lien for siding with China and boycotting the referendum ballots after pressure from Beijing, Lien said yesterday that linking the KMT with China was an "old trick" of the DPP and called on Chen not to spread rumors, while condemning the government for its failure to improve cross-strait relations.
"The existence of China is a reality and we cannot ignore it. Only by maintaining a peaceful cross-strait relationship can we create a win-win situation," Lien said yesterday while campaigning in Tainan.
Lien said he did not oppose the referendums, but that he was against the DPP's attempt to influence the election outcome by combining referendums with the elections.
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
RSS