New Taipei City Mayor and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday said he would explain why he is not running for president after the period for aspirants to sign up ends on May 16.
In response to questions from reporters on Friday, Chu declared his absence from the presidential election scheduled for Jan. 16 next year. However, some KMT party members who have called for his nomination appear to be unwilling to give up hope, saying that Chu’s remarks on Friday did not constitute a formal announcement.
Chu said that he would give a clear account of his position on the presidential election after May 16.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
“You do not need to ask me the same questions, do you?” Chu said in response to media queries upon arriving at the headquarters of the Republic of China Women’s Association to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the KMT-affiliated organization. “There is no need to repeat what has already been said.”
Chu again urged KMT members who wish to serve the nation to make their bid public as soon as possible to show that the KMT is committed to a successful presidential campaign.
“As party chairman, I sincerely hope the KMT field the best and most suitable presidential candidate, and that all party members unite in support of the candidate to provide Taiwan and the Republic of China a better future,” Chu said.
According to the KMT’s nomination rules, presidential aspirants are required to collect signatures from at least 5 percent of the party’s 300,000 members to endorse their candidacy during the 27-day registration period from tomorrow to May 16, and to pay a NT$2 million (US$64,181) refundable deposit and NT$7 million to subsidize the primary.
In response to a report in the Chinese-language China Times yesterday quoting an unnamed KMT source as reporting that the party could order Chu to represent the party in the election if no one else registers as a candidate before May 16, Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said: “How could it be possible?”
“I have said I would take part in the primary, have I not?” Hung said, adding that she has NT$2 million ready and would pick up an application form tomorrow.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai
Four China Coast Guard ships briefly sailed through prohibited waters near Kinmen County, Taipei said, urging Beijing to stop actions that endanger navigation safety. The Chinese ships entered waters south of Kinmen, 5km from the Chinese city of Xiamen, at about 3:30pm on Monday, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement later the same day. The ships “sailed out of our prohibited and restricted waters” about an hour later, the agency said, urging Beijing to immediately stop “behavior that endangers navigation safety.” Ministry of National Defense spokesman Sun Li-fang (孫立方) yesterday told reporters that Taiwan would boost support to the Coast Guard