President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) is the founding father of the nation and the flag of the Republic of China is "the flag of our country."
Chen made the remarks in the wake of an uproar caused by Examination Yuan president Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文) and Examination Yuan member Lin Yu-ti (林玉体), who earlier this week said that while Sun was worthy of respect, they did not support his designation as the nation's father.
"Sun Yat-sen is the founding father of our country and the flag of the ROC is the flag of our country. There is nothing to argue about, to smear or to distort," said Chen while visiting a temple in Neihu, Taipei City accompanied by number of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative candidates.
Later in the day, Chen's campaign trail took him Yunlin, Changhua and Taichung counties where Chen pledged to pass the National Pension Law (國民年金法) should the pan-greens win a majority in the legislature. The passage of the law will allow senior citizens aged 65 or older to receive a monthly pension of NT$7,500, Chen said.
The legislation governing the Resolution Trust Cooperation (金融重建基金, RTC) would be the new legislature's priority to help advance the nation's economic development, added Chen.
Stating that many key bills have been stalled in the opposition pan-blue controlled legislature, Chen appealed to voters for support so that the DPP, together with its political ally the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), could "achieve its goal of winning a stable pan-green majority in the new legislature and secure greater progress in reform."
Chen, who also doubles as the DPP's chairman, told the crowd that he would be a lame duck if the pan-greens do not control the new legislature.
"On March 20, you gave me a chance to have a second term in office, I hope that on Dec., 11, you will give me a clear majority too in the new legislature to help [me] fulfill promises made during my re-election campaign," Chen told the crowd while in stumping for DPP hopefuls in Yunlin County.
At the venue, Chen took the opportunity to rebut recent remarks made by opposition People First Party (PFP) chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) who prophesied that there would be a catastrophic cross-strait war next year should the pan-green camp be granted a majority in the legislative elections.
"If this person can really predict the future, then why was he wrong in prophesying his own fortune?" said Chen, referring to Soong's unsuccessful bids in the 2000 presidential election and this year on a joint ticket with Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰).
"If he can't be right about himself, how correct can he be about Taiwan?" Chen said.
Citing incidents in 1996 where China lobbed nuclear-capable missiles into the Taiwan Strait as well as China's threatening rhetoric in the run up to the 2000 presidential election -- when the KMT held both the majority in the legislature and controlled the government -- Chen said that one ought not to relate cross-strait war to the pan-green camp and to intimidate Taiwanese people with war.
According to DPP headquarters, Chen is slated to carry out a swing of at least 42 rallies nationwide in all 27 constituencies in the run-up to the Dec. 11 legislative election. Chen will today travel to Keelung City and Taipei County to stump for the DPP's legislative candidates in these regions.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old