Disregarding a mist of rain as well as a cold front, People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) was yesterday determined to do all in his power to canvass votes for the PFP and its legislative candidates.
Earlier yesterday morning, during a campaign stop at the Lugang Tianhou Temple in Changhua County’s Lugang Township (鹿港), Soong accepted every opportunity to sign his autograph and have his photograph taken with supporters in order to promote his party and presidential bid.
Soong said that he was the safest presidential choice for Taiwan and that citizens could rest assured that if he were elected president, cross-strait conflict would not resume and Taiwan would retain its democratic liberties.
Photo: Liu Hsiao-hsin, Taipei Times
Soong also revealed that he had been contacted by the US government and that he would also receive a visit from US officials.
He said that the nation must let the US know that it would stay on the middle path by electing a stable and solid head of state.
“Such a leader would play a role in maintaining the careful balance existing between the US, Japan and China, as well as offering to be a buffer,” Soong said.
He said that by “buffer” he meant that Taiwan would be an anchor in terms of geopolitics, adding that it should also act as a buffer against time and change.
The ongoing changes in China cannot assuage Taiwanese concerns, Soong said, adding that this concern is why Taiwan should maintain its status as a free democracy.
When asked about the 18 parties vying for voters’ support in the legislator-at-large vote, Soong said he was confident the PFP’s votes would not be scattered.
However, the number of competing political parties highlights problems in Taiwan’s political system, Soong said.
The Chinese National Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party should not overshadow the plurality of opinions in Taiwanese society, Soong said, adding that should he be elected into office, he would seek to negotiate with the heads of the parties.
There are many aspects in the current system that should be tweaked, he said.
Later yesterday, Soong headed to Beidou Township (北斗) to campaign alongside PFP legislative candidate Chen Chao-jung (陳朝容).
Both men stuck to their campaign plan, despite heavy rain during the last leg of the event.
Soong wrapped up the night with a large rally in Taipei, touting his competence and administrative experiences as a leader of state who is able to hold the steering wheel steadily.
LOYALTY: The 10 active and retired soldiers betrayed the nation and its people by leaking and passing on military secrets to China, the High Prosecutors’ Office said Ten former and current military officers were yesterday indicted on charges of spying for China, including two who allegedly filmed themselves pledging loyalty to Beijing. The High Prosecutors’ Office requested life imprisonment for the suspects in light of the severity of the crime. The 10 active-duty and retired officers included members of the 601st Brigade of the Aviation Special Forces comprising attack helicopter squadrons and elite combat units in charge of defending northern Taiwan, including Taipei. The other suspects came from Huadong Defense Command, in charge of defending the eastern coast; Kinmen Defense Command, in charge of defending Kinmen and Matsu; and one
NO FREE LUNCH: Taiwanese joining the trips to China met TAO and United Front Work officials who urged them to vote for candidates who support closer ties with Beijing The Ciaotou Prosecutors’ Office in Kaohsiung yesterday released two suspects on bail who have been accused of recruiting Taiwanese to join tours to China funded by Beijing and in which they were urged to vote for pan-blue candidates in January’s presidential and legislative elections. The pan-blue camp generally refers to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the People First Party, the New Party and the Young China Party, which support closer relations with China. Prosecutors said that a man, surnamed Cheng (鄭), and a woman, surnamed Yeh (葉), who are members of the China Pan-Blue Association, recruited Taiwanese tourists to join tours arranged
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday slammed a proposal by New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, to permit a “significant number” of Chinese students to study and work in Taiwan, saying it would be detrimental to young Taiwanese. At an event on Monday hosted by nine major industrial and business groups, Hou said that if elected, he would reinitiate cross-strait dialogue on the premise that Taiwan’s dignity would not be compromised and that the talks would be held in good faith. The talks would include lifting a ban on Chinese tour groups and
PEACE AND STABILITY: ‘Taiwan can be of tremendous value’ in building resilient supply chains, President Tsai Ing-wen said, as she encouraged closer ties with foreign businesses A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is unlikely for the time being due to the internal challenges and international pressure that China is facing, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told the New York Times in an interview shown on Wednesday. “My thought is that perhaps this is not a time for them [China] to consider a major invasion of Taiwan,” Tsai said in a prerecorded interview for the DealBook Summit held by the newspaper on Wednesday. Beijing’s leadership is presently “overwhelmed by its internal challenges” on economic, financial and political grounds, while the international community “has made it loud and clear that war is
RSS