Hualien Mayor Tien Chih-hsuan (田智宣), who was the only Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member to have been elected as a municipal official in Hualien and was considered a pioneer for the party in an area that is overwhelmingly pro-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), died yesterday at the age of 56.
Tien was diagnosed with lung cancer before the Jan. 16 elections.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), accompanied by DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), arrived at Tien’s residence late yesterday afternoon to pay her respects, after inspecting two air force bases in Hualien County.
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times
“Tien was a person who wholeheartedly focused on his work, and would even sacrifice his life for it,” Tsai said. “There is a lot of work he was yet to complete. We will help him to finish what he could not.”
Tsai had already been scheduled to visit Tien yesterday while she was in Hualien.
Tien’s wife, Chang Mei-hui (張美慧), said she is happy she married Tien and became part of his family.
“I believe we will meet again. I will shed my tears in a place where no one is around,” she said.
Hsiao, the first DPP legislator elected in Hualien County since 1992, lamented Tien’s passing on Facebook.
“This has been a disturbing night, the thing that would sadden me the has happened. All these years you have been my most important partner and supporter in Hualien, and you have been someone to rely on for leading Hualien forward,” Hsiao wrote. “My heart ached to see your pain and suffering, but at the end, we still have to say goodbye, so that you may be freed from the sickness. Your efforts have left beautiful marks for Hualien.”
Tien started his political career in a village warden’s office. Over the past 20 years he was elected a Hualien County councilor, Jian Township (吉安) mayor, and Hualien mayor, without loosing an election, creating a legacy in Hualien, where pan-blue politicians enjoy overwhelming support.
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address