Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Apollo Chen (陳學聖) is poised to represent the KMT and compete against Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) in November’s mayoral election after he yesterday defeated two other candidates in the party’s primary.
According to the average results of three opinion polls released by the KMT’s Taoyuan chapter yesterday, Chen garnered a support rating of 35.68 percent, followed by Taoyuan City Councilor Lu Ming-che (魯明哲) with 33.06 percent and former KMT legislator Yang Li-huan (楊麗環) with 31.24 percent.
Chen, who is serving a fourth term as legislator, is expected to be officially nominated by the KMT at a meeting of the party’s Central Standing Committee next week at the earliest, the party said.
Photo: Chen Yun, Taipei Times
If his nomination receives the committee’s support, Chen would be the second special municipality mayoral candidate nominated by the party after KMT Legislator Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), who secured her nomination as the party’s Taichung candidate on Wednesday last week.
In a speech delivered after the results were announced, Chen said he would do his utmost to help the KMT regain its lost support, and unite the party with the help of Yang and Lu.
“Unlike Cheng, I would not squander money if elected, and would allocate budgets precisely and accurately for my policies,” Chen said, adding that he would spend his time communicating with Taoyuan residents rather than attending ceremonies like Cheng.
Taoyuan, which was upgraded to a special municipality in December 2014, had been governed by the KMT since 2001 until Cheng defeated then-Taoyuan county commissioner John Wu (吳志揚) in the 2014 local elections.
However, Yang refused to accept results of the polls, saying they did not conform with the preliminary results her aides had gathered during the polling process.
“[The preliminary results] indicated that I was leading in two polls, but was trailing closely behind the other two aspirants in the other. How could I ended up finishing last in all three polls,” Yang said. “I do not believe the poll results.”
KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy director-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said the primary was conducted in a fair, just and open manner, adding that none of the candidates raised any concerns during the primary.
“Regarding the accusation made by one of the aspirants, it will be dealt with by the Taoyuan chapter, but it will not change the results of the primary,” Hung said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust