Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) yesterday embarked on a two-day tour of temples in northern Taiwan to express his gratitude for their assistance after the deadly earthquake that struck the south in February.
However, his trip has sparked speculation that he is visiting New Taipei City with an eye on running for the city’s top office in 2018.
After visiting seven temples in Taipei and one in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水) yesterday, Lai is scheduled to visit several more in New Taipei City today, including Jian Temple (濟安宮) in Shulin District (樹林).
Photo: Kuo An-chia, Taipei Times
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) mayor will be setting foot on the electoral district of DPP Legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), who is believed to be aiming for the mayoral post as well.
Sources said that Lai has maintained a political network in his native New Taipei City through clan and faith-based organizations, an impression bolstered this year on the presidential inauguration on May 20, when he brought 600 Tainan residents for a “single-day tour” of his old home in the city’s Wanli District (萬里).
At the time, Lai said he had no intention to run for New Taipei City mayor in 2018.
Lai’s temple visits will allow him to connect with larger groups of potential voters and have closer interaction with them compared with his last visit in May.
Commenting on the rumors, a Tainan City Government public relations official said Lai is visiting New Taipei City only to thank the temples that had contributed the highest amounts to Tainan after the earthquake.
Describing the trip as “low-key,” the official said the visit was arranged because Lai happened to have to meet central government officials that day.
“People should not read too much politics into it,” the official added.
New Taipei City is the nation’s most populous special municipality, and several DPP politicians are already maneuvering to run in the mayoral race in 2018.
Former premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃), leader of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association — which is also known as the “Yu faction” — has reportedly visited local notables in New Taipei City, although he has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility that he would make another run for city mayor.
Other DPP politicians aiming for the post include a “Yu faction” comrade, DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬); Wu, who is known to belong to former premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) faction; and Legislator Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), commonly viewed as a member of President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) “Ing clique.” Lai belongs to the former “New Tide” faction.
Although the party’s factions were officially disbanded in 2006, most DPP politicians maintain loose alliances that share close ideologies.
Last week, singer Yu Tien (余天), the director of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter and believed to favor the Yu faction, said in a radio interview that he would endorse Lai as the DPP candidate for Taipei in 2018.
Yu Tien’s remark added fire to rumors that the mayoral hopefuls are jockeying for position.
The fact that Lai will move through multiple electoral districts represented by DPP lawmakers of the Su faction is significant, because it suggests some form of “friendly understanding” between the DPP politicians is in play, allowing Lai to “test the waters” without worrying about “trespassing” into the territories of party comrades, sources said.
When asked for comment, Wu said he would accompany Lai if the Tainan mayor visits his neighborhood.
“The temples are simply receiving recognition for bipartisan charity work. People should not read too much politics into it,” he said.
Others speculate that Lai is testing his chances in the race for Taipei mayor.
Asked about the rumors, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said: “Do not assume so much.”
“They [temples] donated money, so it is only natural that he pays them a visit to thank them,” Ko said.
Additional reporting by Sean Lin
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS