Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday denied that a video he posted showing highlights of Thursday’s Executive Yuan meeting was meant to show Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) in a bad light.
The video, posted on Su’s Facebook page, included an introduction that showed Su asking Han not to refer to Taiwan as “an area,” after remarks he made on mass protests in Hong Kong against a proposed extradition bill and other issues.
Han earlier yesterday said that he thought Su’s video was “inappropriate.”
“Since he [Su] took office, he has been going on about how the Kaohsiung mayor has never attended a Cabinet meeting,” Han said. “So I went, and he edited a video to put on the Internet to attack and criticize me.”
“By going, we were trying to be very polite and sincere in requesting the Executive Yuan’s help with Kaohsiung’s development,” he added.
In response, Su said it was not the first — nor would it be the last — video of the weekly Cabinet meeting he uploaded, adding that the videos of the 18 meetings held since he assumed office had all been edited and uploaded for everyone to see.
“The government must report to the people what it has done for them. Through the video we hope to call on people to join us in doing what they should do,” he said on the sidelines of an event in Taipei ahead of Police Day today, with police officers receiving awards for excellent performance.
“This is the government’s responsibility and its continuing job. [Han] does not need to distort this,” he added.
The video also showed Su tallying subsidies the Cabinet had disbursed to the Kaohsiung City Government — a source of contention with Han, who has accused the Democratic Progressive Party of plotting to derail his administration, including by denying it funds for the development of the municipality.
The Kaohsiung Department of Health on Tuesday last week asked for NT$10.7 million (US$339,359) to combat a dengue fever outbreak, and the Cabinet dispersed the subsidy on Thursday last week, Su said.
The central government has agreed to give NT$80 billion toward the construction of a yellow line for the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (KMRT) system; NT$105 billion for the relocation of Dalinpu Village (大林蒲) residents; and NT$27 billion to extend the KMRT system from Gangshan District (岡山) to Lujhu District (路竹).
The central government has over the past three years given the Kaohsiung City Government NT$247.6 billion in “cold, hard cash,” which shows that the government’s bid to push for Kaohsiung’s development transcends partisan politics, Su said, urging Han “not to misunderstand.”
Su also spoke about the Hong Kong protests.
When the British lease for Hong Kong expired, China said that it would allow the territory 50 years of autonomy under a “one country, two systems” framework, Su said.
“Look at what has happened now... Police firing into the crowd. A group of officers hitting a civilian who had already fallen to the ground. All of these shocking and disturbing events are passing before the eyes of Taiwanese, of the international community,” he said.
“While an authoritarian country knows only authoritarian rule, Taiwan’s democracy is the fruit of the sacrifices and persistence of many generations,” Su added.
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