The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday denied rumors that the party is working to "clean house" by kicking out pro-localization members and others who have been seen frequently interacting with the pan-green camp.
Saying that the party had no such intention, KMT spokeswoman Kuo Su-chun (郭素春) yesterday dismissed the rumors as "another attempt by people who wish to make use of all their time to drive wedges among party members."
Kuo said that "Party Chairman Lien Chan (
"Chairman Lien is confident in all the party's members and legislators," Kuo said, saying that "the party right now has no intention of cleaning house, but only of staying united" in order to perform well in the year-end legislative elections.
The talk of "cleaning house" has come in the midst of mounting calls from members of the party's pro-localization faction who, in the wake of Lien's failure to win the presidential election, have urged the party to speed up reforms. The pro-localization faction has also expressed concern about Lien's proposal to merge the KMT with the People First Party.
While declining to name individuals, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Lo Chih-ming (
Having been implicated in such remarks, pro-localization KMT members such as Legislators Chen Hung-chang (
"The idea has never crossed my mind," Hsu said.
Chang said that he had been asked by the TSU several times if he were willing to switch party membership.
"My leaving the KMT is very unlikely ? I'd rather be considered a black sheep within the KMT," Chang said.
Chang's remarks meshed with those of TSU caucus whip Chen Chien-ming (
Saying that he is sure that no one within the party wants to defect, Legislative Speaker and KMT Vice Chairman Wang Jin-pyng (
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
RSS