With the March 18 presidential election in clear sight, independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday said he was delighted to witness increasing numbers of friends `coming out of the closet' to throw their weight behind his election campaign, in response to claims of endorsements by former Kaohsiung City Mayor Wu Tun-yi (吳敦義) and Taichung County Speaker Yen Ching-piao (顏清標).
"Electing a president is not the same as electing a party chairman or a person who has had so many chances to serve the public but failed to so," Soong said, in an apparent reference to both President and KMT chairman Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and his party's presidential candidate Lien Chan (連戰).
"However, I am still very grateful to see so many friends making an appeal to voters to join our team and work with us to carry out political reforms," Soong said while visiting a local temple in Kaohsiung County.
Soong did not, however, reveal when and how either Wu and Yen would demonstrate their support for Soong's presidential bid.
Despite repeated claims that Yen has secretly supported Soong over the past months, Yen still agreed to accompany Lien to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Chenlan Temple in Taichung headed by Yen.
In addition to reaching out for the support of political heavyweights yesterday, Soong also issued more "political checks" in the hopes of attracting more votes.
Speaking to Taichung County residents, Soong vowed to merge Taichung County with Taichung City, and to promote the area into a municipality directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Government, as is the case now with both Taipei and Kaohsiung cities.
He also laid out plans to expand the existing Taichung airport to become an international airport, and to reshape Taichung port to act as a link between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Both promises have already been made by both Lien and DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Soong also proposed yesterday that the state-run Chunghwa Telecom follow Britain's example of privatizing state-run firms by releasing 15 percent of company shares to the public.
The process, he said, would help the administration draw up regulations to govern the privatization process and to put formerly state-run firms under public supervision.
With the privatization scheme, he added, monopolies by government or enterprise syndicates would be terminated, while the government would still maintain a hold on 51 percent of Chunghwa Telecom shares.
The government now holds 67 percent of Chunghwa Telecom's shares.
Soong also claimed last night that the KMT's propaganda officials have planned to reveal the results of a "pseudo-poll" before March 8, the last day on which opinion polls are allowed, which would indicate Lien is slightly in the lead.
Lien has trailed Chen and Soong in most polls so far.
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
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
MISSILE MISSION: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology said it does not make policy, but would be glad to obtain certification to assemble the missiles The Ministry of National Defense-affiliated Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is in the process of getting certified to assemble an additional 1,985 Stinger missiles on top of those from US arms sales, a senior defense official said yesterday. Washington is to send a team to Taiwan to evaluate the institute’s manufacturing capabilities and information security, said the official, who commented on condition of anonymity. The ministry initially bought 500 missiles for the army and navy, but later increased the order to 2,485 in response to an increase in Beijing’s military activities around the nation, and to meet the army’s urgent need
RSS