Outgoing Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday said she considers herself as the most “local” candidate in the party’s chairperson by-election, which has been painted as a “local versus non-local” race.
Hung made the remarks at a “thank you” gathering held at the KMT’s Keelung branch yesterday morning, the last day of her four-year tenure as the nation’s first female deputy legislative speaker.
Also in attendance at the event were former KMT chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former KMT vice chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and KMT Interim Chairperson Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠), who is also vying for the chairpersonship in the by-election scheduled to take place on March 26.
“There has been talk of being local or non-local, which is unnecessary, as the KMT long ago planted its roots in Taiwan. As the oldest candidate in the by-election, I am naturally the most senior and genuinely Taiwanese of them all,” Hung said.
Hung said that she was born in Taiwan, speaks Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) and was raised on domestically produced rice and water.
“Sorry, Huang Min-hui, I am the elder Taiwanese between us. You might be an outstanding person, but you are younger than I and I am more local than you,” Hung said, taking Huang’s hand.
Hung’s comments added intrigue to speculation that Huang’s last-minute decision on Wednesday last week to enter the race for chairperson was aimed at blocking Hung, whose perceived inclination toward a hasty unification with China is said to have unnerved the KMT’s higher echelons.
Despite Huang on Thursday last week clarifying that her bid was prompted by her dislike of a divided party, rumors of a “Hung-blocking” plan within the KMT have run rampant.
Hung said the KMT should not only reflect on its failures to help people see and recognize its contributions to Taiwan, but it should also re-embrace its original core values and ideals.
“I feel no pressure running for chairperson of the party, because there are no opponents within the party, only comrades. The pressure will only come after the election, as the party’s new chairperson will be expected to reinvigorate the party in the shortest amount of time possible,” Hung said.
Huang, who is seen as a member of the KMT’s local camp, also delivered a speech at yesterday’s event, saying the party must listen to the public and bolster its efforts to regain the public’s trust after having been crippled by an unprecedented defeat in the Jan. 16 presidential and legislative elections.
“We will not be able to pick ourselves back up again unless we unite and jointly shoulder the responsibility. Only an undefeated KMT can keep the Republic of China standing,” Huang said.
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
RULES BROKEN: The MAC warned Chinese not to say anything that would be harmful to the autonomous status of Taiwan or undermine its sovereignty A Chinese couple accused of disrupting a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents has been deported, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement yesterday afternoon. A Chinese man, surnamed Yao (姚), and his wife were escorted by immigration officials to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where they boarded a flight to China before noon yesterday, the agency said. The agency said that it had annulled the couple’s entry permits, citing alleged contraventions of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法). The couple applied to visit a family member in
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
RSS