In an exclusive interview with the Taipei Times yesterday, President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen also revealed that he had met with former president Lee Teng-hui (
"The experience of the past six months has shown that the opposition alliance has totally rejected any possibility of rational public policy debates," Chen said.
PHOTO: CNA
"I have waited for the opposition camp for six months, but I haven't gotten a positive response. So, I decided that the national alliance for stability must be formed."
Meanwhile, in a meeting with Taiwanese investors yesterday, Chen offered words of encouragement to a group of Taiwanese businessmen who were robbed by gunmen on Sunday while traveling from South Africa to Swaziland to meet with Chen.
The group's chartered bus was ambushed by the gunmen on a highway about 100km east of Johannesburg. Some 10 women and five children under 13 were also reportedly on the bus. According to a police source, the group was robbed of cash, credit cards and valuables worth about 2 million rand (US$200,000). Reports said that there were no injuries, but a shot was fired through the bus roof.
Chen expressed his regret over the incident during the meeting of Taiwanese investors in Africa. He also shared his own experiences of being robbed twice in South Africa.
Chen, who first visited South Africa as a Taipei City councilor, said he was robbed while pushing his wife in her wheelchair. Chen said his trousers were torn as he tried to hang onto his bag.
"My wife was sitting there, looking at me as if she were watching a cops-and-robbers movie," the president joked.
He took his second trip to South Africa when he was Taipei mayor. Since he traveled with a delegation, he thought he wouldn't have to worry about theft, but the entire delegation had its passports stolen.
But Chen told the group that wealth can be regained, while health is priceless.
"I feel so sorry [for what happened to you], but I would still be willing to visit South Africa again if I have the chance," Chen said.
He also encouraged the businessmen to speak up for Taiwan while doing business in Africa.
"Taiwan needs to walk out. And it is a goal which can be reached only by all fellow compatriots' collective efforts," Chen said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
Taiwan’s exports soared to an all-time high of US$61.8 billion last month, surging 49.7 percent from a year earlier, as the global frenzy for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and new consumer electronics powered shipments of high-tech goods, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. It was the first time exports had exceeded the US$60 billion mark, fueled by the global boom in AI development that has significantly boosted Taiwanese companies across the international supply chain, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a media briefing. “There is a consensus among major AI players that the upcycle is still in its early stage,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
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