Former vice premier Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) vowed to closely monitor the incoming Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration’s handling of cross-strait policies if she were to win the contest to lead the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The KMT might be too “radical” in enhancing ties between Taiwan and China in the hope of delivering on its economic promises and that would cause permanent damage to the nation, Tsai said during a radio interview yesterday.
“It’s unlikely that Taiwan will be ‘sold out,’ but it’s a worry that the country’s sovereignty may be sacrificed to economic development or other purposes,” the former chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council said.
Enhancing cross-strait ties is listed in Tsai’s 12-point election platform, but Tsai said that defending Taiwan’s sovereignty should be an uncompromising premise.
In the run-up to chairmanship election on May 18, Tsai and her two rivals — former senior presidential advisor Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏) and DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) — yesterday picked up the pace in canvassing support.
Yesterday Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), former secretary-general of the Presidential Office, said Tsai should team up with Koo as his deputy. Chai yesterday also invited Tsai to be his deputy if he were to win.
Chen made his suggestion to DPP Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) during their private meeting yesterday. Hwang Kun-hu (黃崑虎) of Tsai’s camp also attended.
“Both Chen and Hwang said that they supported Koo being chairman and Tsai being his deputy and Chai would consider dropping out of the race in that case,” Hsieh said.
Hsieh added that the meeting was unbinding as it was not a formal meeting.
“We haven’t worked out a proposal to coordinate a candidate to be the [next] chairman,” Hsieh said.
Some of the DPP’s younger members, however, were not in favor of the proposal and Tsai was warmly welcomed when she visited the party’s legislative caucus convention to drum up support.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
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Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
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