Calling the instances of vote-buying uncovered during the legislative elections a "humiliation to the country's democracy," Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Chang made the remarks at Wednesday's weekly Cabinet meeting, where officials from the ministries involved in the elections provided their account of the process.
"In no way will we stop investigating the vote-buying cases because the elections are over. Heavy sentences shall be given to people involved in those activities, irrespective of their affiliations or identity," Chang said.
He also urged prosecutors not to delay their investigations.
Meanwhile, Chang instructed the Central Election Commission to conduct a review of the legislative elections and start preparations for the March 22 presidential election.
Commenting on the news that only 26 percent of eligible voters had taken part in the two referendums held alongside the elections, Chang said: "It is regrettable that so many people would waive their right to vote in the referendums."
"I hope Taiwanese will cherish their hard-earned democracy next time they are given a chance to vote in a referendum," he said.
Chang said the legislative elections had demonstrated that Taiwan is an energetic democracy, but added that the results had brought challenges to the nation's young democracy that should be taken seriously.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
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