President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday called on former premier William Lai (賴清德) to stop his supporters from launching attacks and prove himself a trustworthy politician, as competition between the two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members continued to escalate as they seek the DPP nomination for next year’s presidential election.
Tsai made the remarks while visiting the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) to celebrate the nation’s progress in space development, when asked by reporters to comment on Lai’s remarks on Saturday about her so-called “cyberarmy.”
As the second premier in Tsai’s administration from Sept. 8, 2017 to Jan. 14, Lai had voiced his support for Tsai to seek re-election, so when he registered for the party’s presidential primary on March 18, many people were caught off guard.
Photo: CNA
The DPP Central Standing Committee on Wednesday decided to postpone its opinion polls on candidates’ support rates from this month until the party’s legislative primary ends on May 22, sparking criticism that the change is designed to help Tsai, who has trailed Lai in such polls.
No DPP members had inquired about his intention to join the primary before a March 16 legislative by-election, Lai said on Saturday on the sidelines of an event in Tainan, adding that Tsai should stop her cyberarmy from attacking him.
“The number of people attacking me is much more than those criticizing him,” Tsai said yesterday.
If Lai took a closer look at the offensive messages, he would find himself acquainted with those attacking her, to a certain degree, Tsai said, as she urged Lai to restrain his supporters.
Many netizens express their support of her, but they are not a so-called “cyberarmy” paid to launch attacks, she said.
Asked if she would support Lai if he wins the primary, Tsai said that she is a DPP member as well as the president, and as president, there are some things she can do and some things she cannot.
“If Lai hopes to win support, he must prove himself to be supportable and trustworthy,” she said, reminding Lai that “honesty is the basic requirement for any politician serving as a national leader.”
Many Taiwanese firms that were operating in foreign countries have decided to return home, bringing in investments worth nearly NT$120 billion (US$3.9 billion), Tsai said, adding that foreign businesses are continuing to invest in Taiwan.
These phenomena reflect a confidence in Taiwan, and that the government’s policy is correct, she added.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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