The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Central Executive Committee yesterday decided to attempt to persuade Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) to retract his resignation as party chairman, which he submitted following his defeat in last Saturday's presidential election.
"We have unanimously reached the conclusion that Hsieh should stay put until we have a new chairman," Chiayi County Commissioner Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) told reporters after the meeting.
The DPP plans to elect a new chairman on May 25.
Hsieh had said before the presidential election that he would quit politics if he were to lose. He was absent from the meeting yesterday and was unavailable for comment last night.
Albert Lin (林耀文), a long-time Hsieh assistant, said Hsieh had not considered retaining the post, saying that media reports that Hsieh would remain on condition that the DPP wanted him to do so was speculation by DPP members who wanted Hsieh to stay.
"If Hsieh would like to continue to lead the party, that would be the party's good fortune," said Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who worked as Hsieh's general campaign manager for the election.
Yeh resigned from her post as secretary-general of the Presidential Office two days after the election defeat, sparking speculation that she intended to run for the DPP's chairmanship.
Yeh dismissed that speculation yesterday, saying that "what is more important now is how the DPP regains the trust of the public, conducts self-scrutiny and encourages people's participation in the party."
Former DPP legislator Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉), who initiated a party reform campaign a few years ago, also rebutted speculation that he intended to run for the party chairmanship.
"I still have lots to learn," he said. "I am not making preparations for the chairmanship."
In related news, Yeh yesterday rejected an accusation made by Shih Ming-te (施明德), who led the anti-President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) demonstrations in 2006, that Hsieh had demanded that Chen step down early in exchange for Shih's support during the presidential campaign.
"Shih made several suggestions on how to boost Hsieh's chances when I met him during the campaign, but neither Hsieh nor Chen were made aware of all Shih's opinions," Yeh said.
Meanwhile, Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟), who worked as Hsieh's spokesman during the campaign, yesterday elaborated on Hsieh's remarks on Wednesday regarding a re-investigation of the assassination attempt that injured Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) on the eve of the 2004 presidential election.
Hsieh mentioned president-elect Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) campaign pledges as Hsieh believes only a new investigation would convince the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which has always cast doubt on the DPP government's official report of the incident, of the truth and that would contribute to a more harmonious atmosphere between the pan-blue and pan-green camps, Chao said.
Earlier yesterday, Hsieh met with the president for about an hour at the Presidential Office. Hsieh's aides refused to reveal details of their meeting.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
RSS