The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday pledged to boost efforts to oust President Chen Shui-bian (
Promoting a second recall motion in the Legislative Yuan and letting voters decide the future of the president in a referendum will be a victory for all Taiwanese, KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"The second recall motion will not be an `exit strategy' for the anti-Chen campaign. What it should be is an `entrance strategy' for Taiwanese," Ma said during the party's central standing committee meeting yesterday.
He made the remarks following a speech by Emile Sheng (
Sheng expressed disappointment over the KMT's passive approach to joining forces with the anti-Chen protesters by demanding the president's resignation from within the system.
"[The campaign] is trying to establish core values for our society. As the largest opposition party, the KMT should not give up its advantage in the Legislative Yuan," Sheng said, adding that the party should take advantage of its majority in the legislature to oust Chen by pushing for another recall motion or toppling the Cabinet.
"What is the KMT's attitude? Why has the party done nothing since the new legislative session began?" he added.
Ma said that the KMT has never been absent from the anti-Chen movement initiated by former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德).
He added that the party would spare no effort to ensure the success of a second recall motion by pushing legislation to redraw the boundaries of election districts and amendments to the Election and Recall Law (
"The KMT caucus has also asked party members to contact pan-green legislators and seek their support. We need to act with caution," he said.
He also denied being "weak" in opposing Shih's plan to "besiege" the Presidential Office on Double Ten National Day.
"As Taipei mayor, it's my responsibility to maintain public order. ... What I'm afraid of is that violent incidents would ruin the campaign's efforts," he said.
The first recall motion launched by the KMT in June failed to pass the legislature amid a lack of support from the pan-green camp. If a recall motion passed the legislature, a national referendum would follow.
Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
VIGILANT: Enterovirus activity remains in the epidemic phase, with the CDC urging caregivers of infected children to be on the lookout for signs of severe illness Influenza activity is rising in neighboring countries, and, with temperatures forecast to drop this week, flu cases are expected to increase in the next two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Hospitals reported 87,162 visits for flu-like illnesses between Nov. 23 and Saturday, which remained about the same level as the previous week, but nine deaths and 24 cases with serious flu complications were also confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. Flu activity reached a peak in late September before declining for eight consecutive weeks, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠)
A much-anticipated Keelung-Ishigaki Island passenger-cargo shipping route is scheduled to set off on its inaugural voyage at the end of this year, the route operator said. The route, which would be jointly administered by Taiwanese and Japanese operators, generated much discussion when it was first announced last month. The operators plan to offer three round-trip services per week in the initial stage. The service was scheduled to launch in September, but it was postponed until the end of this month due to issues with the ship’s interior design and paperwork. Trans Wagon International Co, which serves as the agent of the shipping service
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