Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) said yesterday that former president Lee Teng-hsui (
"We visited former president Lee [on Friday]. He said Hsieh is bound to win and asked the alumni of the Lee Teng-hui School to put their efforts into getting Hsieh elected," said Twu, who is also the executive director of the alumni association of the political academy founded by Lee.
The press conference was held to announce the group's support for Hsieh.
"Lee was very much in favor of our coming out to support Hsieh," Twu said.
Lee has yet to come forward in person and say which of the two candidates he favors.
However, in an interview with Japanese writer Yusuke Fukada, which was published in the current issue of a Japanese monthly, Lee said that Taiwan's democracy would be set back 20 years if Hsieh lost the election.
However, if Hsieh manages to rouse himself and catch up with Ma, the old forces of the two parties would perish and be replaced by new blood, Lee was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Thinktank chairman Chen Po-chih (
"Only when two countries have similar economic status will free movement of production factors not hurt public interest," he said. "In the case of Taiwan and China, a free flow of labor in a common market will turn Taiwan into a refugee camp."
Chen said Chinese labor would be allowed to enter the country about three years after a common market is set up, in accordance with international practices, rebutting the promise made by Ma that he would never open up Taiwan to Chinese workers if elected.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
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