Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in a radio interview on Friday said it is understandable that some pro-localization Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members would want to form the “Taiwan Nationalist Party Alliance,” given that KMT presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) dismal poll numbers seem to be negatively affecting the party’s prospects in next year’s legislative elections.
Lee said that the KMT is trapped in uncertainty, with no helmsman.
While talk of party solidarity is loud, its leaders are passing the buck around, Lee said.
Solidarity is not achieved by paying lip service, Lee said, adding that KMT leaders should have the determination and courage to fight for the party rather than for themselves.
Lee cited political commentator Hu Chung-hsin (胡忠信), who said that it would not be easy for the KMT to force Hung out of the presidential race, as she would be able to receive a handsome sum from election subsidies.
Hung said the comment was “to judge a virtuous person using a dishonest mindset.”
Asked about the “game change” the election might bring, Lee said that rather than worrying about Beijing’s moves during the presidential interregnum — the period from the elections on Jan. 16 to May 20, when the new president is to be sworn in — it is President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) who would be a source of apprehension, as it is not impossible that he might try to curry favor with Beijing.
During the presidential transition, the legislature will be the only authority counterbalancing the president, Lee said, adding that the new president would have to be resolute in attitude and brace for difficulties with well-thought-out strategies.
Lee said it would not be a problem if Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) became president, but issues concerning the legislature are complicated, and Tsai should pay extra attention to them, as a legislative majority would not easily be achieved.
Lee said that as the US has made clear its unwavering position concerning its Taiwan policy, China would not intervene in the presidential election.
“There is no need to worry about what China might do,” he said.
Lee said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) ordered 300 Boeing jets from the Chicago-based aircraft maker before his state visit to the US last month and aimed to elicit “certain words,” or a change of attitude on the US’ part, that would push Taiwan to endorse the so-called “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000 that refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
However, the US was unyielding in its stance that respects the existence of Taiwan and its democratic system and Washington did not accept any requests from China, Lee said.
“As I see it, it is not possible for China to exert pressure [over the upcoming elections] in Taiwan,” he said.
EVA Airways was ranked the eighth-best airline in the world for this year, the only Taiwanese carrier to make it into the top 25 Airline Excellence Awards this year, aviation reviews Web site AirlineRatings.com said on Wednesday. AirlineRatings.com has a seven-star rating system to evaluate more than 360 airlines around the world every year, EVA Airways said in a statement on Thursday. “We are delighted that efforts by the entire EVA staff have been recognized by Airline Ratings,” EVA Airways president Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said in the release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company identified and adopted services and procedures that enhance and
A promotional event for the launch of a drinks store led to police questioning a 26-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張), the Taichung Police Department said yesterday. Police said that they questioned Chang and forwarded the case to prosecutors, accusing her of producing, distributing, broadcasting or selling pornography. Police said she faces charges related to the alleged distribution of indecent photographs on Twitter and using overtly sexual innuendos to promote the store on Monday night. Officers stumbled upon the content during a routine Internet “patrol.” Chang faces a prison sentence of up to two years and up to a NT$90,000 fine if found guilty
Exiled Chinese democracy advocate Wang Dan (王丹) yesterday denied an accusation by former Taiwanese political worker Lee Yuan-chun (李援軍) that Wang had sexually harassed him in a hotel room in New York nine years ago. There was a huge gap between Lee’s accusation and his own understanding and memory, Wang wrote on Facebook, adding it was hard for him to respond further regarding a “unilateral description” made by someone else. Wang made the remarks after his initial response on Facebook was met with criticism, with people saying he did not directly address the allegation. Lee on Friday wrote on Facebook that he
MORE WARNINGS: If the US company does not clarify and solve issues with its frozen berries, the FDA might extend an import suspension implemented last month, it said The Kaohsiung Department of Health yesterday said it fined Costco NT$4.5 million (US$146,265) over contaminated frozen strawberries, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that although the US company had filed an improvement plan, an import suspension on frozen berries could remain. Three types of frozen berry products imported and sold by Costco have tested positive for the hepatitis A virus since April. The Kaohsiung health department previously fined Costco NT$300,000 for not providing the sales list of a contaminated batch of Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend imported from Chile, in contravention of the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法). It later