Former premier Simon Chang (張善政) yesterday said he would run in next year’s presidential election as an independent candidate.
The decision followed careful deliberation, Chang said, adding that he is gathering a campaign team.
Only by breaking away from the fierce rivalry between the pan-green and pan-blue camps can Taiwan recuperate and recover its former glory, he said.
Photo: CNA
He would build his cross-strait platform on the premise of “prioritizing Taiwan,” while adhering to the “one China” principle as it is outlined in the Constitution — a notion he came up with after seeing the endless bickering between the two political camps over the so-called “1992 consensus.”
The “consensus” often advocated by former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has its merits, but the two political camps cannot agree on its meaning, he said.
The Constitution was written with “one China” in mind, so Chang’s cross-strait stance of helping Taiwan live up to the status of that “one China” should be acceptable to both camps, he said.
Asked to comment on the variables that his entry adds to the election and how it would affect the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) prospects, Chang said he is not a KMT member, so he would wait patiently and see who the party nominates as its presidential candidate.
He said he hopes to present a balanced addition to discussions about cross-strait relations and put an end to the “unnecessary bickering” between the pan-green and pan-blue camps over cross-strait issues.
It would be hard for his presidential candidacy signature drive to pass the threshold without the backing of a major party, Chang said, adding that it is unclear whether he could overcome that hurdle, but if he did, voters would have an alternative choice.
He said he would fashion his campaign around a slogan urging the pan-green and pan-blue camps to “end their political wrangling.”
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS