The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is striving to build cooperation among pan-green parties in light of recent developments in the political scene, DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday.
Cho said he had contacted New Power Party (NPP) Chairman Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) to schedule a meeting next week to discuss forging an alliance under the proposed banner of “safeguarding Greater Taiwan.”
The move comes after Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) on Thursday quit the NPP to run as an independent in his Taipei electoral district, while Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Wednesday announced that he was forming a new party.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
“Our talk will focus on collaboration, working together for Taiwan’s best interests and to implement national development programs,” Cho said of the planned meeting with Chiu. “The DPP is looking to help pro-Taiwan forces.”
Chiu yesterday met with NPP Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), after which he said that the party would support President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) re-election bid.
“I look forward to discussing with Cho the nomination of candidates in competing electorates,” Chiu said. “I also want to talk to Cho about judicial reform, amending injustices in housing policies, parliamentary reform and other important issues.”
Earlier yesterday, Cho wrote on Facebook about recent political developments, saying that the “DPP does not want to see events creating distrust and break-ups.”
“The DPP has always sought to see the pro-Taiwan forces grow and become stronger,” he wrote.
Lim’s departure has sparked conflict in the NPP, while Ko’s action has divided previously cooperative partnerships, he wrote.
“The coalition of forces opposed to China is breaking up and the pro-Taiwan force is splitting,” Cho wrote. “It is regretful to see this happening.”
“When China sees that our pro-Taiwan forces cannot work together due to internal conflicts, it will see that its opportunity has come,” he said.
“The DPP is willing to offer front-line troops as it forges an alliance for dialogue and cooperation among like-minded parties and groups,” he said.
OFFLINE: People who do not wish to register can get the money from select ATMs using their bank card, ID number and National Health Insurance card number Online registration for NT$6,000 (US$196.32) cash payments drawn from last year’s tax surplus is to open today for eligible people whose national ID or permanent residency number ends in either a zero or a one, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday. Officials from the ministry revealed which days Taiwanese and eligible foreigners would be able to register for the cash payments at a joint news conference with the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Online registration is to open tomorrow for those whose number ends in a two or three; on Friday for those that end in a four or five: on Saturday
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) officials are investigating why a Starlux Airlines flight to Penang, Malaysia, returned to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport nearly two hours after takeoff yesterday morning. The airline said in a statement that Flight JX721 to Penang took off from Taoyuan airport at 9:20am. “After the dashboard showed a signal of an abnormality in the hydraulic system, the captain followed standard operating procedures and returned the flight to Taoyuan airport for safety precautions,” the airline said, adding that the flight landed safely at the airport at 11:04am. The airline arranged for the passengers to have lunch after the flight landed and
TECH PROGRAM: A US official said that an important part of the delegation’s trip would be to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co executives The US is to send officials in charge of chip development to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to promote cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain, the US Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. Chips Program Office Director Michael Schmidt announced the visit, which marks the first time officials from the office are to visit the three nations since it was set up in September last year. “As semiconductors and technologies continue to evolve, the United States will keep working with allies and partners to develop coordinated strategies to ensure that malign actors cannot use the latest technologies to undermine our collective
WORKING UP AN APPETITE: Sales at the Rueifong Night Market surged 20 to 30 percent, while seats at Liouhe Night Market were packed until 1am, market officials said South Korean pop band Blackpink’s concerts over the weekend in Kaohsiung helped draw large crowds to local night markets, the Kaohsiung City Government said yesterday. The two concerts on Saturday and Sunday at Kaohsiung National Stadium drew more than 90,000 people. The city government offered NT$50 vouchers to spend locally to concertgoers who showed their ticket stubs. Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市) management committee head Chuang Chi-chang (莊其章) said that crowds over the weekend surged at about 10pm and the market remained packed until 1:30am. “Almost all the seats were filled,” Chuang said. Night market stall owners had stocked up in expectation of an increased number