Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday gave a an emotional speech in Pingtung County marking the 69th anniversary of the 228 Incident shortly after he completed a 520km bicycle ride from the nation’s northernmost tip to its southernmost tip, saying it was time to celebrate the tragic history with sweat instead of tears.
An emotional Ko became teary several times during his speech, which seemed similar to his 228 speech in Taipei last year.
“I was moved to tears giving a speech [recalling the memories of my grandfather] in the 228 ceremony last year, but my father did not shed a tear. Fathers are stronger when their children are weak. It is a father’s nature to protect their children. It was then I decided my father and I would not cry anymore on 228 Memorial Day. We have to move on from sad histories, so I chose to commemorate the 228 Incident in a different way this year,” Ko said.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsien, Taipei Times
“I challenged myself with a ‘twin tower’ bicycle trip — from Taiwan’s northernmost Fuguijiao Lighthouse [in Keelung] to its southernmost Oluanpi Lighthouse [in Pingtung County] — to seek redemption for the soul with a 520km physical undertaking. In the past, our tears were filled with rancor and hate. Today, we opened up a future of tolerance and forgiveness with sweat,” Ko said.
The 228 Incident refers to an uprising that began on Feb. 27, 1947, against the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime and the resulting crackdown that left tens of thousands dead and led to nearly four decades of martial law.
Ko’s grandfather, Ko Shih-yuan (柯世元), survived the 228 Incident, but died three years later of injuries he reportedly suffered while tortured and beaten by KMT troops.
Saying he did not feel lonely on the road because he was accompanied by his grandfather’s spirit, Ko Wen-je said his grandfather, an elementary school teacher, insisted on kindness and courage.
“Taiwanese have to be the owners of Taiwan. Taiwanese have to decide their own fate and Taiwanese have to build a new world of fairness and justice. That is my goal and belief. I would like to encourage us all with the idea of a ‘Taiwan achieved with a sea of tolerance,’ so we can learn from history and leave the sadness behind,” he said.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS