Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate Sean Lien (連勝文) yesterday won the endorsement of several financial experts, who said they hoped that Lien could do for Taipei what former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg did for the US city.
The pundits — who included former Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp chairman Schive Chi (薛琦), a former minister without portfolio; National Taiwan University economics professors Lin Chien-fu (林建甫) and Hsu Chen-min (許振明); Lu Hsin-chang (盧信昌), a professor in the university’s international business department; and former Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics director-general Duan Wei (韋伯韜) — told a news conference said that Taiwan needs to boost its efforts to negotiate free-trade agreements.
Lien said that many of his friends are very concerned about the economy of both Taipei and the nation. Taipei’s mayoral election has attracted widespread attention because it is not just about who will become the next mayor, but about the direction the nation will take.
Photo: CNA
“The election is also about how the economy in Taipei will be developed, which concerns all of us,” Lien said. “All these things happen unconsciously, and it might be too late when you begin to notice it.”
Many Taiwanese corporations will have to seek opportunities overseas because of the nation’s small domestic market, he said.
After the China-South Korea free-trade pact takes effect, “many domestic petrochemical plants will have to lay off employees or cut employees’ salaries, or they will not be able to survive,” he said.
“I am stepping up at this crucial moment to help the public understand the challenges facing Taiwan’s economy. This is not just about the election. It is about a question facing every person in Taiwan after Nov. 30,” Lien said.
National Taichung University of Science and Technology professor Lee Lung-sheng (李隆生) said the Democratic Progressive Party wanted to be in sync with the world economy by bypassing China, but that proposal is not feasible, given that China’s GDP already accounts for 15 percent of global GDP.
“When the nations around the world are trying to establish trade relations with China, how can Taiwan, being geographically so close to China, bypass China to be in sync with the rest of world economically?” he said.
Many netizens were quick to respond sarcastically to Lien’s comments on the economy, with some saying that “Lien should be running for president instead.”
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS