Independent Taipei mayor-elect Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday announced that People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) has accepted his offer to become his top policy adviser.
“Soong’s administrative team during his term as Taiwan provincial governor has always been considered the most efficient team, and I have a lot to learn from him,” Ko told a press conference immediately after his more-than-an-hour-long meeting with Soong yesterday morning.
“Soong talked about a lot of things during the meeting, but I feel that I still have much to learn from him, therefore I would like to invite him to be my top policy adviser,” Ko said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Ko then repeated the invitation three times, saying that as a first-time mayor, he does not know what challenges are ahead and therefore needs an experienced political leader to give him advice.
Soong gladly accepted the offer, saying that he does not care about the title, but would like to help as much as he can. He added that he would accept the position without pay and promised that he would not interfere in Ko’s appointment of officials.
He then told Ko that “there is no other way to handle public affairs, but to always have the public in mind and to be patient.”
Commenting on the controversies that Ko has triggered with his recent remarks on certain policy projects, Soong said that he admires Ko for his honesty and being himself.
“Are these not the personality traits that attracted voters and led to his election?” Soong asked.
However, Soong added that as a mayor, Ko should also try not to talk too fast and advised that Ko should have at least three types of assistants by his side.
“The first is a troubleshooter who is able to identify problems and help solve them; the second is someone who can take down promises or complaints that Ko makes or receives when meeting with people, and follow up on these issues afterwards,” Soong said. “And the third is a spokesperson who has to take part in meetings and understands what Ko thinks, so that he or she may serve as a buffer for Ko.”
Asked if he agrees with Ko on cross-strait relations, as Ko believes Taiwan and China are two separate countries, while Soong supports a “one China” policy, Soong said that they are actually on the same page, as at the core, both of them believe that cross-strait relations should develop peacefully and in a moderate way.
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
Reports of Taiwanese going missing, being detained or interrogated, or having their personal liberties restricted in China increased about fourfold annually last year, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Last year, 221 Taiwanese who traveled to China were reported missing, were detained and interrogated, or otherwise had their personal freedom restricted, up from 55 the previous year, the council said. Reopening group tours to China would be risky, as it would leave travelers with no way to seek help through official channels after Beijing shut down dialogue between the associations tasked with handling cross-strait tourism, the MAC said. Taipei’s Taiwan Strait Tourism
SHIFT: Taiwan is evolving from a transit stop into a tourist destination, with more international travelers willing to spend on tours, dining and cultural activities Taiwan rose three places in the World Tourism Barometer to 36th globally in 2024, with international tourism revenue of US$10.028 billion, the Tourism Administration said on Monday. The UN Tourism Organization publication said that its focus has switched from whether a country has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of tourism to the amount spent by a tourist during an overseas trip. The nation last year welcomed 8.57 million international tourists, about 9 percent more than in 2024, with most tourists coming from Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong and Macau, all of which accounted for at least 1 million tourists each. During the first
RSS