President Chen Shui-bian (
The two made the pledge despite DPP setbacks in the city mayoral and county commissioner polls two weeks ago.
The DPP, which controlled 12 districts in 1997, won just nine city and county districts this time around. The KMT, which previously controlled eight counties, was victorious in nine districts.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Independent candidates and the People First Party (PFP) captured two districts each, while the New Party took only Kinmen County.
Addressing a meeting of 23 newly elected city mayors and county commissioners yesterday afternoon, Chen said that he will use his power to try to strengthen the relationship between the central and local governments.
"The relationship between central and local governments is like that of partners. We should all work together to benefit democracy and the economy," Chen said. "Since previous administrations failed to do a good job in this, I don't intend to let it happen again."
Chen added that, as times change, government officials should try to adjust accordingly.
"Try to listen more, see more and think more," he said.
To listen more, Chen said, is to listen to the voices of the public and people from different political parties. To see more is to see the future of Taiwan and search for a common consensus and common interests and values, according to Chen.
And to think more, he said, is to ponder how to stabilize the political situation, spur the economy and improve cross-strait relations.
Anticipating local heads would complain about their financial plight, Chang said before the closed-door meeting that the Cabinet will adopt certain measures in a bid to help local governments cope with their fiscal woes.
"In addition to trying to find more money and allocating it more effectively, we'll launch a lobbying campaign at the legislature to release NT$19.4 billion in supplementary public-works subsidies," he said.
Local governments that owe money to the central government will also be allowed to delay their payments until after the Chinese New Year holidays, Chen said.
Meanwhile, local government chiefs across party lines expressed divided views over whether they would participate in two different blocs recently proposed by the KMT and DPP.
After nine newly elected KMT city mayors and county commissioners proposed forming an opposition alliance and inviting Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
Kaohsiung County commissioner-elect Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) of the DPP said that he would like to see the formation of the competing alliance. "By meeting on a regular basis, we can not only reinforce our fellowship but also try to help learn from each other," he said.
Taichung City mayor-elect Jason Hu (
Independent Miaoli County commissioner-elect Fu Hseuh-peng (
Taitung County commissioner-elect Hsu Ching-yuan (
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
ON ALERT: Taiwan’s partners would issue warnings if China attempted to use Interpol to target Taiwanese, and the global body has mechanisms to prevent it, an official said China has stationed two to four people specializing in Taiwan affairs at its embassies in several democratic countries to monitor and harass Taiwanese, actions that the host nations would not tolerate, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday. Tsai made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which asked him and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to report on potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military preparedness. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) expressed concern that Beijing has posted personnel from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to its
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
RSS