The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said its platform for the year-end special municipality elections would include the promise of a “happy lifestyle” for Taiwanese through focus on local issues.
The party said its election theme would emphasize the administrative abilities of its five candidates at the local level, which would provide a sharp contrast with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led central government.
The message was consistent with recent remarks by DPP officials that it would attempt to “surround the central government” with wins in local government races in the run-up to the 2012 presidential elections.
Recently, the DPP said it would seek to win as many as 1,000 seats in the borough and village chief elections scheduled for June 12. It said it had formed a task force that includes a number of party heavyweights who will travel nationwide to generate support.
Pointing to a recent performance survey for local government heads, DPP spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said DPP mayors and county commissioner had a proven track record of good governance.
Of the top four local heads in the survey, which was released in the latest edition of the Chinese-language Global Views Monthly magazine, two were from the DPP, one from the KMT and another was an independent.
On the DPP’s strategy for winning the five special municipalities in the November elections, the Central News Agency quoted DPP sources as saying that the party would attempt to solidify its support base in the south, try to make gains in Greater Taichung and concentrate its resources on winning Taipei and Sinbei cities, where former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) are running respectively.
While Su has already begun campaigning, Tsai is expected to attend her first election event this week, DPP officials said.
Garnering support for Tsai and a number of DPP city councilor hopefuls at a traditional market in Taipei City yesterday, former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said he would fully support the DPP bid.
In other developments, the DPP said yesterday it would host an event on Saturday at the Glory Pier (光榮碼頭) in Kaohsiung City to oppose a central government plan to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.
DPP officials, however, would not confirm the date of a rally expected to be held in Taipei against an ECFA and in support of a referendum on the matter.
The rally is expected to be held in the middle of next month.
Officials at the DPP’s ECFA response team said the date of the rally, which will likely be held alongside events organized by a number of pro-independence organizations, would be contingent on the date of the next round of cross-strait negotiations on the trade pact.
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
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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
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