Former DPP heavyweight, Wei Yao-chieh (魏耀乾) is challenging DPP candidate Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) by running as an independent in a bid to be Tainan County's next county commissioner.
Born into a conservative Tainan family that had close links to the KMT, Wei was an unlikely political dissident. But an influential friendship with then Taipei City Councilor Frank Hsieh (
Originally trained as a dentist, Wei said his political awakening came after the 1979 murders of former DPP chairman Lin I-hsiung's (
PHOTO: YANG CHIN-CHENG, TAIPEI TIMES
Later, in his six years as a DPP legislator, Wei frequently resorted to fist fights to make his point, often referring to his time as a dentist by saying he was going to "pull the tiger's teeth."
Noting that his time as a hardliner is over, Wei said that he now just wants to get his ideas on social welfare out into the open, regardless of whether he wins or loses the race.
"The county should integrate with [nearby] Tainan City and Chiayi County and develop into a Singapore-style economic hub for contract manufacturers' packing and marketing," Wei said.
Reiterating his pledge to take care of the elderly, Wei said that he has been greatly moved by those people over 70 years old who have attended his recent campaign rallies. He said that most of the county's older population is looking to the future commissioner to ensure that they are taken care of in their old age.
"My perspectives on social welfare differ from those of the DPP," Wei said, adding that he is fighting for the interests of the middle and lower classes.
Wei said that the ideal leader for the county would speak for disadvantaged farmers and workers and ensure that a sound social security system be put in place for them.
"Also, he should assist small and medium-sized enterprises to create new business opportunities, which will then bring in employment opportunities and income for local families," Wei said.
Placing a distant third in opinion polls, Wei has stayed in the race despite pleas from the DPP to bow out.
Denying arguments that his candidacy threatens Su's chances of winning, Wei said he might actually help Su take the county.
"I can win the votes of DPP members that turn against Su so that they don't all go to the KMT's Wu Ching-chi (
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
Two US House of Representatives committees yesterday condemned China’s attempt to orchestrate a crash involving Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) car when she visited the Czech Republic last year as vice president-elect. Czech local media in March last year reported that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following Hsiao’s car from the airport, and Czech intelligence last week told local media that Chinese diplomats and agents had also planned to stage a demonstrative car collision. Hsiao on Saturday shared a Reuters news report on the incident through her account on social media platform X and wrote: “I
SHIFT PRIORITIES: The US should first help Taiwan respond to actions China is already taking, instead of focusing too heavily on deterring a large-scale invasion, an expert said US Air Force leaders on Thursday voiced concerns about the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) missile capabilities and its development of a “kill web,” and said that the US Department of Defense’s budget request for next year prioritizes bolstering defenses in the Indo-Pacific region due to the increasing threat posed by China. US experts said that a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan is risky and unlikely, with Beijing more likely to pursue coercive tactics such as political warfare or blockades to achieve its goals. Senior air force and US Space Force leaders, including US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and
Czech officials have confirmed that Chinese agents surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March 2024 and planned a collision with her car as part of an “unprecedented” provocation by Beijing in Europe. Czech Military Intelligence learned that their Chinese counterparts attempted to create conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, which “did not go beyond the preparation stage,” agency director Petr Bartovsky told Czech Radio in a report yesterday. In addition, a Chinese diplomat ran a red light to maintain surveillance of the Taiwanese
RSS