Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday declined to comment on New Taipei City Mayor and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) announcement that he would not run in next year’s presidential election, saying that it is more important for the DPP to prepare well for the campaign.
“No matter who the KMT candidate is, the DPP will use the same degree of cautiousness in its approach to the presidential campaign, especially because the result of next year’s election will be the key to Taiwan’s development, and therefore we simply cannot afford to be relaxed,” Tsai said in response to reporters’ requests for comments on Chu’s remarks as she took part in a workshop on green energy in Tainan yesterday.
She said that although there might be conflicts, disputes and other complicated issues among politicians within the KMT, it is still a party with more than 100 years of history and a lot of resources.
Photo: Su Fang-ho, Taipei Times
Tsai added that as the KMT is yet to nominate a candidate, what the DPP can do now is to prepare itself to win the election, saying such efforts began as soon as she received her nomination from the DPP last week, and “will continue after we win the election.”
The green energy platform, for example, is one example of such efforts, she said.
The green energy platform was hosted by the DPP’s regional governance platform, which is headed by Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊), and consists of DPP local government heads.
Asked about a running mate, Tsai said she is still undecided on the issue.
“It’s still too early to make the decision. I’ve neither chosen nor ruled out anyone,” Tsai said. “I might have to wait until later in the election campaign to make the decision. Of course I think about it from time to time, but I will not rush the decision.”
Speaking at the workshop, Tsai said the DPP would start to prepare for its potential role in central government at local government level, and once in power, she would coordinate local efforts to make Taiwan a better nation.
She said the purpose of the workshop was to discuss energy policies, adding that 2025 — the year which Tsai vowed to make Taiwan nuclear-free — is not far away.
Meanwhile, Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) said Tsai’s frequent visits to southern Taiwan show her determination to bridge the gap between the north and south.
On the running mate issue, Lai said it is a DPP tradition to give the party’s presidential candidate full freedom to make the decision.
“Compared with 2012, Tsai has made a lot of progress. She is more confident, has a better understanding of key issues and is more passionate when facing the public,” Lai said.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Credit departments of farmers’ and fishers’ associations blocked a total of more than NT$180 million (US$6.01 million) from being lost to scams last year, National Police Agency (NPA) data showed. The Agricultural Finance Agency (AFA) said last week that staff of farmers’ and fishers’ associations’ credit departments are required to implement fraud prevention measures when they serve clients at the counter. They would ask clients about personal financial management activities whenever they suspect there might be a fraud situation, and would immediately report the incident to local authorities, which would send police officers to the site to help, it said. NPA data showed
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The Taipei MRT is to begin accepting mobile payment services in the fall, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said on Saturday. When the company finishes the installation of new payment units at ticketing gates in October, MRT passengers can use credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, the operator said. In addition, the MRT would also provide QR payment codes — which would be compatible with Line Pay, Jkopay, iPass Money, PXPay Plus, EasyWallet, iCash Pay, Taiwan Pay and Taishin Pay — to access the railway system. Currently, passengers can access the Taipei MRT by buying a single-journey token or using EasyCard,
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