The appointment of a sitting county commissioner to a prominent posting in Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Eric Chu’s (朱立倫) election campaign has drawn complaints that it could be in violation of rules on government neutrality.
Chu announced yesterday that his former bitter rival in the primary for the KMT ticket in the area soon-to-be-named Sinbei City, Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), had accepted the position of campaign chairperson in his bid for the Nov. 27 election.
While there had been speculation that the appointment would take place, the two had refused to comment publicly until yesterday.
The move will likely surprise some of Chou’s supporters, who were outraged after he announced in February that he was withdrawing his bid for Sinbei City mayor.
Speaking on the decision, Chou said that “after polls showed that I was trailing in support, I willingly conceded and threw my support behind Chu,” adding that he believed Chu “truly cared” about Taipei County residents and suggested he was the best man for the job.
“As I’m now serving as his campaign chairperson, I want all [my] friends to stop being reluctant and come out and fully support Chu,” he said, calling his appointment the “best demonstration of democratic tolerance.”
However, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) campaign saw things in a different light and demanded some answers.
At a campaign stop yesterday, Tsai said the appointment was more evidence that some government officials involved with Chu’s campaign were not politically neutral.
Chou is the latest addition to a campaign roster with other prominent political figures including 13 sitting KMT legislators, Taipei County deputy commissioner Tsai Chia-fu (蔡家福) and local representatives, as well as KMT Vice Chairman Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正).
“We didn’t have to wait until [Chou’s] appointment to feel strongly that this has already been taking place,” she said. “We do recognize that there is no way to completely stop this, but we do ask that local and central governments try to avoid [conflicts of interest].”
In recent weeks, Tsai Ing-wen said she felt she was under surveillance from Chu’s campaign, adding that “there was always a feeling of an invisible hand present” during campaign events around Taipei County.
Lin Chieh-yu (林芥佑), spokesperson for Chu’s campaign, called Tsai Ing-wen’s claims “totally ridiculous.”
“I think there are double standards at work here,” he said. “Tsai was involved in campaigning for DPP candidates when she was vice premier and there were no problems with that.”
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS