■ DIPLOMACY
Ma sends congratulations
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) sent a message to Panamanian president-elect Ricardo Martinelli after Martinelli won the country’s election on Sunday, while Ambassador to Panama Simon Ko (柯森耀) said he believed Martinelli’s election would not lead to major changes in bilateral relations. An embassy official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Ma delivered his congratulations and expressed willingness to continue promoting relations between the two countries after Martinelli’s inauguration. The official said Ma faxed his congratulatory letter to the embassy and instructed that it be hand-delivered to the president-elect.
■ POLITICS
Chen applies to DPP
The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Taipei City branch said yesterday it had received former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) application for membership and the party would convene a meeting today to review it in accordance with regulations. Taipei branch director Huang Ching-lin (黃慶林) said if Chen’s application passed a preliminary review, it would be submitted to the party’s Central Standing Committee for approval. Huang said it would be good for Chen to return to the fold and would hopefully help unify the party. Huang visited Chen at the Taipei Detention Center yesterday.
■ POLITICS
KMT mulls 'clean' rules
The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Clean Government Committee (CGC) yesterday suggested the party not nominate anyone for elections who has been sentenced to one year in prison or longer at a first trial. In response, KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義) said the party would take the suggestion seriously. Wu said during an interview at the legislature that since the KMT had won the presidency, the public has held KMT officials to higher standards, adding that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) were very self-disciplined. If the committee’s suggestion is in the public’s interest, the KMT cannot turn a deaf ear, he said. But KMT Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) criticized the suggestion. Fu, who was sentenced to four years and six months at a first trial in an insider trading case, said the committee did not have authority over the party’s charter. When asked whether he would still seek the party’s nomination for Hualien County commissioner, Fu said: “People in Hualien know clearly I am resolved to serve the people.”
■ TRANSPORTATION
Taichung offers free buses
Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) said yesterday that the city would launch a free public bus program from May 18 as part of efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions. During a six-month period that will run through Nov. 17, those carrying “Taiwan Easy Go” cards will be able to ride public buses in downtown Taichung free of charge from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. The city government hopes the initiative will encourage more people to take the bus, Hu said, adding that his goal was to see an increase in passenger volume to at least 3 million per month within the next three years. In early 2002, passenger volume was 300,000 per month, he said. The number has increased to 2.1 million thanks to the incentive programs introduced by the city government, he said. Some NT$250 million (US$7.58 million) has been allocated for the new program, he said.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
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