People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) opened his campaign headquarters in Taipei yesterday with a rally, with the former Taiwan Province governor labeling the current government as “incompetent,” adding that government policies pander to the interests of business conglomerates, while most people suffer under economic stagnation.
Soong's running mate Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), in wrapping up the rally with a speech outlining the party’s vision for the nation, promised to deliver hope and a brighter future to the people.
With political pep talks and slogans such as “Let’s Win Taiwan Back,” the joint cross-party ticket had over 10,000 banner-waving supporters, many of them wearing PFP-orange caps, or white caps with the yellow emblem of the Republican Party. There was also a prominent display of the Republic of China (ROC) national flag.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The main campaign office for the Soong-Hsu ticket, at the intersection of Jinan Road and Xinsheng S roads in Taipei, officially opened yesterday, while the rally was several blocks away, on Jinan Road next to the legislature.
The party’s campaign logo was unveiled, with an orange circle converging with a tilted square, with its intersecting form resembling an idealized outline of Taiwan.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) visited the campaign office in the morning, lunching with Soong and hosting a private meeting.
Although Ko avoided reporter questions from reporters, speculation is that Ko is supporting Soong in the presidential election.
“We are old friends. It is normal to visit each other once in a while. We can also exchange our views on Taiwan’s political scene,” Ko said.
Soong said in his speech that; “Ma [President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)] has failed the people, with many medium and small enterprises going out of business, the middle-class being squeezed out and the young generation given no hope for the future, because they cannot find work or toil in low-paying jobs. Many of them cannot afford rent and the rising living costs.”
“If I am elected, then get only a 9 percent approval rating, I would resign. When the citizens do not trust the government, how can it continue its rule?” he said.
“We have an incompetent government, and it is time to vote them out of office,” Soong said.
“If I am elected, we will have a better future. I will return the nation to its core values of liberty and democracy. Together we can bring confidence and respect back to Taiwanese,” he said.
Soong also said that “Taiwan’s future must be decided by Taiwanese,” and “Taiwan is our mother homeland, we are all in a big Taiwanese family,” and added that he would defend and preserve the Constitution and the sovereignty of the ROC.
Soong has worked with, and allegedly had close ties with, the late KMT president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
Soong called for “a middle road” on a cross-strait relationship with China, by avoiding both unification and independence, adding that he can end the political wrangling between central and local governments, while saying that if elected, he and Hsu would make annual “State of the Nation” reports at the Legislature, to present the year’s fiscal budget and results of government implemented programs.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS