Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who is allegedly intending to represent the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) as its presidential candidate in next year’s presidential election, yesterday denied a report that he has been looking for a female running mate, while KMT chairman and New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) reiterated his intention not to run in the presidential race.
The media suggested that Wang is to run for president with incumbent KMT vice chairperson and former Chiayi City mayor Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠). Wang yesterday called the speculation “nonsense,” adding that he has not even entertained the idea of joining the race.
When questioned about a possible schedule on announcing his decision on whether to throw down the gauntlet, Wang said he wanted to focus on legislative affairs for now.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Responding to KMT spokesperson Yang Wei-chung’s (楊偉中) denial that Chu had informed Wang via a middleman that he would not run for president next year — a claim that Wang made on Wednesday — Wang refused to elaborate on the issue further, adding that he “respects Chu’s remarks” since it is possible that Chu had failed to receive prior notice.
Chu yesterday denied any “indirect communication,” saying that there would be “absolutely no need for a middleman between Wang [and himself] as they have always communicated directly with each other.”
“We could simply laugh when there are people, maybe unidentified, being fervent [about conveying messages],” Chu said.
When asked again about his possible presidential candidacy, Chu said that he would not join the race, adding that the media and the public “are both fully aware [that I will not run for president next year] as I have clearly stated my position many times in the past.”
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not
The Grand Hotel Taipei has rejected media reports claiming that the hotel had prevented CBS from broadcasting coverage of the Beijing summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on its premises. Media reports alleging that the hotel owner, dissatisfied with CBS’s coverage, prohibited the network from broadcasting political content on the hotel premises, are not true, the hotel said in a statement issued last night. The reports were “inconsistent with how the hotel actually handled the matter,” it said. The hotel said it received a refund request from a
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