Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞), who was nominated by the party for a seat representing New Taipei City, yesterday dropped out of the legislative election and announced his support for People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong’s (宋楚瑜) presidential bid.
Lee’s announcement came on the heels of Soong’s declaration of his presidential bid in the morning.
Lee said he has been thinking about Taiwan’s future since July 19, when the KMT nominated its presidential candidate at its national congress, adding that Soong is the only person who could put an end to the havoc the nation has been enduring in recent years and construct a “right path” for it.
Lee said he would “fight with Soong,” but added that he would still support the KMT’s Sinjhuang District (新莊) candidate if they meet the needs of local residents, “as that is also my obligation.”
Lee said he would not withdraw from the KMT, but would be “unruffled by whatever measure the party might take,” such as revoking his party membership, given his shift in allegiance to Soong.
Lee said there has been no official talk over whether he would join Soong’s campaign team, adding that he only made his support for Soong public to show that he identifies with the PFP leader’s ideas.
KMT presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) said she felt regret over Lee’s decision, adding that the party should work harder to make all of its members more confident.
According to the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper), former Taipei County deputy commissioner Tsai Chia-fu (蔡家福) and former Sinjhuang administrator Hsu Bing-kuen (許炳崑) are the two candidates who the KMT might field in Lee’s place.
Tsai said that he had heard about Lee’s reluctance to join the legislative race and would ask the party to find the most suitable candidate as soon as possible.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), who is to run in the same constituency, released a statement expressing support for Lee and his decision.
Lee’s brother, former minister of the interior Lee Hong-yuan (李鴻源), also vowed to assist Soong, saying it was Soong who introduced him to politics.
Asked if he would withdraw from the KMT, Lee Hong-yuan said that party membership is not an issue for him, as he does not plan to contest any election, “but if Soong asks me to be his running mate, I might have to think about [the party membership] issue.”
However, Soong has not talked to him about being a running mate, but if he asks, Lee Hong-yuan said he would definitely help out.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
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