Leaders and representatives of groups advocating Taiwanese independence and civil liberties have launched a movement that aims to defeat Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidates in next year’s combined presidential and legislative elections.
The Showdown 2016 — On Guard to Win Back Taiwan Action Alliance (決戰2016光護台灣行動聯盟), is a pro-Taiwan movement headed by Peter Wang (王獻極), director of the 908 Taiwan Republic Campaign, and Yang Sen-hong (楊憲宏), chairman of Taiwan Association for China Human Rights.
Wang said at the launch event on Wednesday that more than a hundred non-governmental organizations and other groups had signed up for the alliance as affiliated members or networking partners, with the focus on “terminating KMT rule in Taiwan.”
“The presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 16 next year are very crucial for Taiwanese,” Wang said. “It is time for vigorous action to defend our nation in the showdown against Chinese forces. We must stand up to win back Taiwan and end the political power of the KMT once and for all.”
Wang called for nationwide coordinated action early next year.
“We will light up large lanterns at all 228 train stations throughout Taiwan. The illuminating light of the lanterns will protect the citizens of this nation, energizing and empowering Taiwanese to win the elections,” he said.
The alliance has organized several events, including a “Solidarity Rally for All Taiwan’s Five Major Ethnic Groups,” a week-long walk around the nation starting on July 4, raising the “Taiwan flag” in front of the Presidential Office Building on Sept. 8 and an “On Guard To Win Back Taiwan” series of activities starting on Oct. 25.
Wang said he supports ending the KMT’s rule and he urged Taiwanese to support Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to that end.
The alliance said its main objectives are defeating the KMT, demanding that the KMT give up its illegitimate party assets and a new constitution to assert Taiwanese sovereignty by allowing Taiwanese to decide their own future.
“The pan-green camp and pro-independence candidates must fight to win more than half of the legislative seats. This is the only way we can deny the KMT political power and force it to come clean and return to the people its illegitimate party assets,” Northern Taiwan Society chairman Chang Yeh-shen (張葉森) said.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
‘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
The eastern extension of the Taipei MRT Red Line could begin operations as early as late June, the Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said yesterday. Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said it is considering offering one month of free rides on the new section to mark its opening. Construction progress on the 1.4km extension, which is to run from the current terminal Xiangshan Station to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, was 90.6 percent complete by the end of last month, the department said in a report to the Taipei City Council's Transportation Committee. While construction began in October 2016 with an
RSS