The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is working to develop an opposition alliance in the legislature with the People First Party (PFP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), which would focus on the promotion of legislative reform, the party said yesterday.
A five-member panel convened by DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has authorized DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) to represent the party in negotiations, with a possible joint nomination in the election for legislative speaker tomorrow, DPP spokesperson Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) told a press conference.
Ker was expected to discuss the talks with the panel, which in addition to Tsai and Ker, includes Chen and DPP legislators Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) and Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), before a final round of talks at a DPP caucus meeting, Chen said.
In other news, Chen said the DPP was disappointed with some of the nominees to the new Cabinet, such as Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) Minister Christina Liu (劉憶如) becoming the finance minister and Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) taking over as CEPD minister.
The nominations of Liu and Yiin, who both played the role of “hired thugs” for the Ma administration during the presidential election campaign, were an obvious “political reward,” Chen said.
Although President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he would reflect on why he was re-elected by a margin of only 6 percent after a landslide victory in 2008, the Cabinet nominations failed to demonstrate any self-reflection at all, Chen said.
“[The nominations] tell us that Ma has a serious problem when it comes to making personnel decisions,” Chen said.
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
“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
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust