People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday apologized for his “Persian cat” comment, saying it was an inappropriate metaphor and was not aimed at President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) or anyone else in particular.
Soong used the metaphor during talks with former Yunlin County commissioner Chang Jung-wei (張榮味), during which Soong borrowed a saying from former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) who said that “Black cat or white cat: If it can catch mice, it’s a good cat” (黑貓白貓, 能抓耗子的就是好貓).
Soong then followed that comment with “Not like someone who’s like a Persian cat: Good-looking, but can’t catch mice,” a remark local media saw as a satirical jab at Ma, who is seeking re-election.
Photo: CNA
In a press release yesterday, Soong said he and Chang were exchanging opinions on the political situation and that while discussing Deng’s remark, Soong had unintentionally footnoted it with his “Persian cat” comment.
Though it was not targeted at anyone, Soong said he was deeply apologetic over the incident and would reflect upon the inappropriate metaphor.
Political figures, even in private, should not be flippant, which can lead to misinterpretations by the media, Soong said.
He added that he hoped no one would read too much into his words and that he would take the incident as a warning and be more careful when speaking in the future.
Soong, a former secretary-general of the Chinese Nationalist (KMT) and the only elected governor of Taiwan Province, serving from 1994 to 1998, has remained tight-lipped on whether he will run in January’s presidential election.
Twenty-four Republican members of the US House of Representatives yesterday introduced a concurrent resolution calling on the US government to abolish the “one China” policy and restore formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Led by US representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, the resolution calls for not only re-establishing formal relations, but also urges the US Trade Representative to negotiate a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan and for US officials to advocate for Taiwan’s full membership in the UN and other international organizations. In a news release announcing the resolution, Tiffany, who represents a Wisconsin district, called the “one China” policy “outdated, counterproductive
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has “returned home” to Taiwan, and there are no plans to hold a funeral for the TV star who died in Japan from influenza- induced pneumonia, her family said in a statement Wednesday night. The statement was released after local media outlets reported that Barbie Hsu’s ashes were brought back Taiwan on board a private jet, which arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. To the reporters waiting at the airport, the statement issued by the family read “(we) appreciate friends working in the media for waiting in the cold weather.” “She has safely returned home.
ON PAROLE: The 73-year-old suspect has a criminal record of rape committed when he was serving in the military, as well as robbery and theft, police said The Kaohsiung District Court yesterday approved the detention of a 73-year-old man for allegedly murdering three women. The suspect, surnamed Chang (張), was arrested on Wednesday evening in connection with the death of a 71-year-old woman surnamed Chao (趙). The Kaohsiung City Police Department yesterday also unveiled the identities of two other possible victims in the serial killing case, a 75-year-old woman surnamed Huang (黃), the suspect’s sister-in-law, and a 75-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張), who is not related to the suspect. The case came to light when Chao disappeared after taking the suspect back to his residence on Sunday. Police, upon reviewing CCTV
TRUMP ERA: The change has sparked speculation on whether it was related to the new US president’s plan to dismiss more than 1,000 Joe Biden-era appointees The US government has declined to comment on a post that indicated the departure of Laura Rosenberger as chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Neither the US Department of State nor the AIT has responded to the Central News Agency’s questions on the matter, after Rosenberger was listed as a former chair on the AIT’s official Web site, with her tenure marked as 2023 to this year. US officials have said previously that they usually do not comment on personnel changes within the government. Rosenberger was appointed head of the AIT in 2023, during the administration of former US president Joe