President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former premier William Lai (賴清德) are on Saturday to take part in a televised debate as part of the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential primary.
The two are to present their platforms at the debate, which comes amid calls from prominent figures and some party veterans for Tsai not to seek a second term.
Representatives from Tsai’s and Lai’s camps have agreed on the protocols for the debate, which is to be broadcast by Chinese Television Service from 2pm, DPP officials said.
Photo: CNA
After delivering their opening statements, Tsai and Lai would be asked questions by a panel comprised of Liberty Times (sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) editor-in-chief Tzou Jiing-wen (鄒景雯), Taiwan Citizen Front founder Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強) and Business Today president Liang Yung-huang (梁永煌).
Meanwhile, Nobel laureate Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) and former representative to Japan Koh Se-kai (許世楷), among others, yesterday called on Tsai to drop her re-election bid.
“We respect the opinions expressed by these friends during the primary. However, for President Tsai, what common people think is more important,” Tsai’s office spokesman and Taipei City Councilor Ruan Jhao-syong (阮昭雄) said.
Photo: Hung Chen-hung, Taipei Times
Lee and Koh were joined in their call by several DPP veterans, including former minister of national defense and DPP legislator Michael Tsai (蔡明憲), former National Security Council deputy secretary-general Parris Chang (張旭成), former Tainan mayor George Chang (張燦鍙), Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation chairman Michael You (游盈隆) and physician Kuo Cheng-Deng (郭正典).
They accused Tsai of “displaying a flagrant and unyielding attitude, showing no humility and being unwilling to communicate,” a source said, citing a draft text the group plans to release to the media this week.
“As a result, most people have lost their enthusiasm for supporting the party. Throughout the primary process, Tsai’s display has also damaged the party’s image as upholding democratic and progressive values,” they said.
“We are facing difficulties due to other political forces colluding with China to sell out Taiwan. Under such circumstances, we are afraid of what the future holds for Taiwan if the DPP were to lose the administration,” they added.
The group urged all DPP members and Taiwanese to support Lai as the party’s presidential candidate, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Others reportedly supporting Lai include Ketagalan Institute president Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒), political commentator Yang Hsien-hung (楊憲宏), former DPP legislator Chen Yung-hsing (陳永興), Taiwan Society chairman Chang Yeh-sen (張葉森), judicial reform advocate and attorney Jerry Cheng (鄭文龍) and political pundit Wu Hsiang-hui (吳祥輝), the source said.
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