Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiu Ching-chun (
"The reason I'm joining the PFP is very simple: I identify with a clean, quality political party, and such a party has every reason to be perpetuated," Chiu said.
Chiu also took the opportunity to criticize the KMT, which he said lacked credibility.
"Honesty and sincerity are very important for a political party. The KMT, unfortunately, disappoints me in this regard," Chiu said.
He said he "quit party operations" in April to focus on his campaign for the Hsinchu County commissionership because of the party's support for Cheng's re-election bid.
When Cheng first ran for the commissionership, Chiu said, he was to seek only one term in office. But with the KMT's central committee supporting Cheng in this year's Hsinchu County election, Chiu said that the party was making the "game rules unfair."
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and PFP had been trying to win Chiu over in order to split the KMT vote.
While the PFP has nominated former National Assembly member Chen Chi-hui (
Chen Chi-hui said yesterday that she would consider dropping out of the race if Chiu stood a better chance of winning.
Upset with his own party as well as the DPP, Chiu yesterday decided to defect to the PFP despite the concerns expressed by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Chiu said that both Wang and Ma had phoned him on Tuesday to dissuade him from leaving the party.
"I told them not to worry too much, because I will still be in the pan-blue camp," Chiu said.
Wang yesterday said that there is still hope for pan-blue cooperation in Hsinchu County and that their ultimate goal is winning the election.
Commenting on Ma's attempt to persuade Chiu to stay in the party, Wang said that "sincerity is very important."
Chiu yesterday dismissed speculation that his defection resulted from his personal displeasure with Cheng and constituted an attempt to unite the "anti-Cheng" forces.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
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