Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday announced that she would join the party’s primary for the presidential election next year.
“I have decided to join the DPP’s primary for president,” Tsai said on Facebook. “I have my dreams; I have my determination. I believe that resolute implementation of policies needs to be backed by calm thought.”
“Breaking through difficulties requires a strong will,” she said. “The nation needs reform, but pain will certainly accompany it; therefore I will unite with social forces and together we will solve the challenges the nation faces in a steady manner.”
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Tsai said that she does not mean to take Taiwan into “an age of the DPP or an age of Tsai.”
She said she would instead create an age that belongs to the public, an “age of [a] new politics of transparency, honesty, public participation, tolerance, clear division of power and responsibility, as well as firm protection of national sovereignty,” she said.
Tsai spoke of how she took over party leadership in 2008, when the DPP was facing its most difficult time, and resumed party leadership last year, after the Sunflower movement, when “party politics” became a negative term in the eyes of many.
She said she is focused on keeping the DPP vital and a good option in the political market.
Tsai said that the government should not just sit aside and watch people struggle to survive on their own and suffer under the leadership of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), adding that this was why she decided to run for president again.
Tsai’s office announced that she would register at 11am today as a candidate in the party primary.
Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) and former DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who were both considered likely to enter the primary before announcing they would not, sent Tsai messages wishing her luck.
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