A number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) grassroots supporters in Keelung yesterday voiced their disapproval of the party's pro-localization faction, suggesting KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"There are `green' wolves in `blue' sheeps' clothing who publicly and vocally oppose the party and support the A-bian (
In Taiwan's political spectrum, "blue" refers to the KMT and its political allies, the People First Party (PFP) and the New Party, while "green" refers to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).
"I think the party ought to take disciplinary action on this issue," said Ho, who made the remarks during Lien's visit yesterday with KMT supporters and representatives in Keelung, where Lien made his first stop on his nationwide post-election "thanksgiving tour."
In response to Ho's comments, Lien said that the party needs people with different viewpoints.
"The party today does not need `happy sparrows' to sing words of praise," said Lien at the forum, accompanied by KMT Vice Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and party Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正). "What we need are woodpeckers to peck out the worms and tell the truth, even if the truth might be unpleasant," Lien said.
Given that the "thanksgiving tour" was designed to also floor views from grassroots party members, the number of participants at the event yesterday were not shy in expressing their opinions, with some calling on both the KMT and the PFP to "stop fooling around and to focus on the year-end legislative elections." Others urged the party to step up internal reforms, suggesting the relocation of the KMT headquarters and removing the word "Chinese" from the party's name after its merger with the PFP.
After listening to these views, Lien in his speech claimed that the March 20 election was "unfair" and accused the DPP administration of manipulating ethnic issues.
"I would say that Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his administration's biggest accomplishment so far is to have molded Taiwan into a society that is characterized by sharp divisions and confrontations," Lien said.
Lien then stressed the need for the opposition parties to remain united.
"Not only does the KMT itself need to stay united," Lien said. "The KMT, the PFP, the New Party and even independents should all stand up, come together and take steps toward merging to form a united force."
"The opposition force should not act like a pile of loose sand, because disunity between the opposition forces serves the DPP's cause," he said.
Ma also briefed the audience on the party's plan to merge with the PFP, while Lin explained the findings of the March 20 election ballots judicial recount.
Later in the afternoon, Lien took his "thanksgiving tour" to Taoyuan, accompanied by KMT vice chairmen Wu Po-hsiung (
Lien is slated to take his "thanksgiving tour" to Ilan County on Thursday and Taipei County and Hsinchu County on Friday. He is scheduled to visit Hsinchu City and Miaoli County on Saturday and Hualien and Taitung on Sunday.
FIVE-YEAR WINDOW? A defense institute CEO said a timeline for a potential Chinese invasion was based on expected ‘tough measures’ when Xi Jinping seeks a new term Most Taiwanese are willing to defend the nation against a Chinese attack, but the majority believe Beijing is unlikely to invade within the next five years, a poll showed yesterday. The poll carried out last month was commissioned by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, a Taipei-based think tank, and released ahead of Double Ten National Day today, when President William Lai (賴清德) is to deliver a speech. China maintains a near-daily military presence around Taiwan and has held three rounds of war games in the past two years. CIA Director William Burns last year said that Chinese President Xi Jinping
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said that China has “no right to represent Taiwan,” but stressed that the nation was willing to work with Beijing on issues of mutual interest. “The Republic of China has already put down roots in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu,” Lai said in his first Double Ten National Day address outside the Presidential Office Building in Taipei. “And the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China [PRC] are not subordinate to each other.” “The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan,” he said at the event marking the 113th National Day of
SPEECH IMPEDIMENT? The state department said that using routine celebrations or public remarks as a pretext for provocation would undermine peace and stability Beijing’s expected use of President William Lai’s (賴清德) Double Ten National Day speech today as a pretext for provocative measures would undermine peace and stability, the US Department of State said on Tuesday. Taiwanese officials have said that China is likely to launch military drills near Taiwan in response to Lai’s speech as a pretext to pressure the nation to accept its sovereignty claims. A state department spokesperson said it could not speculate on what China would or would not do. “However, it is worth emphasizing that using routine annual celebrations or public remarks as a pretext or excuse for provocative or coercive
CONCERNS: Allowing the government, political parties or the military to own up to 10 percent of a large media firm is a risk Taiwan cannot afford to take, a lawyer said A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator has proposed amendments to allow the government, political parties and the military to indirectly invest in broadcast media, prompting concerns of potential political interference. Under Article 1 of the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the government and political parties — as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them — cannot directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. A similar regulation is in the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法). “The purpose of banning the government, political parties and the military from investing in the media is to prevent them from interfering
RSS