Former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) lamented yesterday the loss of former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lu Hsiu-yi (盧修一), who he described as selfless and kind.
Su made the remarks after attending the 10th anniversary of Lu’s death in Taipei yesterday afternoon.
On the eve of the Taipei County commissioner race in 1997, Lu kneeled on stage, despite being ill, to solicit votes for Su, the DPP candidate for the post. Su later won the election.
Emphasizing his debt to Lu, Su said he felt Lu had been with him over the past decade and that the reason Lu was still well remembered and respected was because he was an individual who was sincere, straightforward and vivacious.
During an era when the legislative chamber was under the control of legislators who had not had to face the electorate for decades, the DPP was united then, Su said.
“He was willing to forsake his dream of running for the top job in Taipei County and help me with my bid. There is no comparison between what he did for me and what other politicians would do,” Su said. “He did not do it for himself, he did it for his friend, for Taipei County and for the party.”
Su said he was ashamed and distraught after seeing the party lose in several elections and party members engage in fierce infighting.
“The party should feel embarrassed for losing that spirit,” Su said. “I wish there were more people like Lu to make his beloved Taiwan a better place.”
The latest Papua New Guinea fund scandal has delivered a significant blow to the DPP’s popularity.
Su yesterday opposed calls for President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to bear responsibility for the scandal, urging prosecutors to uncover the truth to prevent the public from being misled by “crooks.”
“I don’t think the head of state knows every detail of the plan and how it was executed,” Su said. “It is not right to hold the president responsible or ask him to step down, unless he is found to be guilty of corruption.”
Su said the country’s diplomatic situation was in dire straits and there were many problems that few people could understand — except for those who are actually involved.
He said he believed former vice premier Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) and former minister of foreign affairs James Huang (黃志芳) did not pocket any money and that he hoped the truth will come out soon and clear the names of the innocent.
“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
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
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan