The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Central Executive Committee yesterday said it would postpone the decision on whether to support Sunflower movement leader Chen Wei-ting’s (陳為廷) bid for the Miaoli by-election after Chen revealed incidents of sexual harassment he had engaged in, though it confirmed nominations of candidates for legislative by-elections in four other electoral districts.
DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) officially introduced the four confirmed candidates at a press conference after the committee meeting yesterday afternoon, saying that the committee did not reach a conclusion on whether to support Chen in the Miaoli by-election.
The Central Standing Committee has been authorized to make the final decision on Wednesday next week, Lin said.
Originally, the DPP planned to nominate Legislator-at-large Wu Yi-chen (吳宜臻), a native of Miaoli County, as the party’s legislative candidate for Miaoli County’s second electoral district after the position was vacated by Miaoli County commissioner-elect Hsu Yao-chang (徐耀昌) at the end of last month.
The DPP later decided to throw its support behind Chen instead, as a friendly gesture to the rising political force created by the recent civil movements.
However, during an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) that was published on Tuesday, Chen revealed that he was involved in two sexual harassment incidents during his sophomore and senior years in college.
Chen said that he was caught the first time and was granted deferred prosecution.
The interview triggered polarized reactions from the public, with some criticizing him, while others defended him as being courageous to make such a confession.
The reaction within the DPP has also been divided.
Before going into the meeting, DPP Central Executive Committee member Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said that she was “shocked” to hear the news, adding that she felt uncomfortable over supporting Chen in the by-election, “because he did not do it just once, but twice, and we do not know if there are other things that might surface.”
DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), who is also part of the committee, said that the DPP should give Chen a chance.
“The DPP announced a long time ago that it would yield the seat to Chen; if we change our mind now, we would be passing a death sentence on Chen’s political career,” Kuan said. “Chen was brave enough to say it; that means he has been through a personal revolution, and I believe that he is a new person now.”
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS