Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Hot topics are likely to be how to improve the economy, national identity and cross-strait relations.
"The coming debate will be important, especially to Hsieh, who is lagging behind in the campaign," said Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), a political science professor at Soochow University. "It will provide a platform for the two candidates to compete on an equal footing."
Both candidates will answer 20 questions during a two-hour session before they grill each other, debate organizers have said.
Ma's campaign is focusing its election strategy on the economy, believed to have been a major factor in the KMT's sweeping victory over the DPP in January legislative elections.
Ma has promised annual economic growth of 6 percent, up from the current estimated 4.5 percent, and a 3 percent fall in unemployment within eight years if he is elected.
He has also vowed closer political, business and social ties with China, including prioritizing the opening of direct links and easing restrictions on visits by Chinese tourists.
"I believe, as in the legislative election, voters will use their ballots in another no-confidence vote against the impotent, corrupt DPP government," KMT Legislator and Ma campaign manager Justin Chou (
He was referring to a wave of high-profile corruption cases implicating President Chen Shui-bian (
The DPP, for its part, has been questioning Ma's loyalty to Taiwan, suggestions flatly rejected by the KMT.
On investment into China, Hsieh wants the government to review restrictions and allow for flexibility on a case-by-case basis on major projects instead of applying the 40 percent limit across the board.
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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