People First Party (PFP) Vice Chairman Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄) yesterday said that he would stay with the party on condition that it pushes through a long-stalled bill calling for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to return stolen assets to the nation.
Chang's proposal, however, got a lukewarm response with PFP Spokesman Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) saying that the party needed time to think it over.
Chang made the remarks at a meeting of the PFP's legislative caucus.
Chang decided to resign as vice chairman following James Soong's (
PFP lawmakers had expressed their wish that either Soong or Chang would stay and continue leading the party.
"The KMT's huge assets have distorted Taiwan's democratic process and pose an obstacle to establishing a level playing field for party politics. If [PFP members] agree to pass the party-assets statute to second reading, I would stay and work with them," Chang said.
The party-assets statute is aimed at divesting assets improperly obtained by political parties, which would force the KMT to return its stolen assets to the state.
The statute has been boycotted by KMT and PFP lawmakers since the Cabinet sent it to the legislature for review in October.
Lee said that Chang's offer suggests that he really has no intention of staying with the party as the passage of the statute might impair the party's relationship with the KMT.
"It's a significant matter. We need some time to deliberate on it," Lee said.
PFP Legislator Liu Wen-hsiung (
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
Taiwanese celebrities Hank Chen (陳漢典) and Lulu Huang (黃路梓茵) announced yesterday that they are planning to marry. Huang announced and posted photos of their engagement to her social media pages yesterday morning, joking that the pair were not just doing marketing for a new show, but “really getting married.” “We’ve decided to spend all of our future happy and hilarious moments together,” she wrote. The announcement, which was later confirmed by the talent agency they share, appeared to come as a surprise even to those around them, with veteran TV host Jacky Wu (吳宗憲) saying he was “totally taken aback” by the news. Huang,
RSS