The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday said that it does not plan to hold polls targeting only pan-blue supporters as a measure to assure party loyalty in the candidate nomination process for the next election, and insisted that it respects freedom of expression after party members voiced their objection to KMT Legislator Lo Shu-lei’s (羅淑蕾) open criticism of the party.
Lo, a former member of the People First Party, has been a regular critic of the KMT and President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration. She often questions the KMT’s policies in political TV talk shows and has voted against the party line on a joint motion — initiated by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union — to immediately stop construction of the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮).
KMT Deputy Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱), who also serves as the deputy legislative speaker, on Tuesday accused Lo of undermining the party’s reputation with her criticism of party policies. She said yesterday that many grassroots supporters shared her concern about Lo’s outspokenness, and called on the KMT to step up its efforts to increase the party’s forward momentum.
KMT Central Standing Committee member Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) joined Hung in questioning Lo’s loyalty to the party, accusing her of being an opportunist who tries to please voters in both the pan-blue and pan-green camps.
He suggested that the KMT make adjustments to its election nomination mechanism and hold polls among only KMT supporters to nominate members with a solid support base in the pan-blue camp.
“It’s okay to question the mistakes the government makes, but non-stop criticism of your own party is an act of opportunism to please voters … Holding polls during the nomination process would eliminate party politicians who are popular outside the pan-blue camp and stop opportunists,” he said.
Lo won the party primary in 2011 over former KMT legislator John Chiang (蔣孝嚴) and stood for the party in the legislative election in Taipei City’s Zhongshan District (中山). Chiang had complained about the primary mechanism that allowed Lo to win the polls in the district, which has a large pan-green support base, and questioned Lo’s loyalty to the KMT.
KMT spokesman Yin Wei (殷瑋) yesterday called for party unity in response to disputes over Lo’s behavior, and said the party does not have plans to change its mechanism for the primaries.
“We respect party members’ freedom of expression, although we expect them to discuss the party’s performance based on facts … The KMT has not yet launched the primary mechanism for the next election, so there are no plans to hold polls that exclude pan-green supporters,” he said.
Lo yesterday dismissed criticism of her behavior and said the party has largely ignored her support of government policies, such as imposing a capital gains tax.
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
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