The public wants to know President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) definition of “Taiwanese values,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.
Ko on Friday said in a television interview that he is waiting for Tsai to turn in her “exam papers,” referring to her policy plans, to decide whether he will support her in next year’s presidential and legislative elections.
Tsai yesterday said that her “report card will be for the people to review, not for a certain politician or a political party.”
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Later in the day, reporters approached Ko at a traditional pudu (普渡, “universal salvation”) ceremony in Taipei for comments on Tsai’s remark.
“Of course [her remark] is correct, but I believe every person in Taiwan really wants to know what President Tsai’s ‘Taiwanese values’ are,” he said.
“She used to ask other people, now it is her turn to answer other people’s questions,” Ko added, referring to a TV interview in January last year in which Tsai, then the chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was asked whether the party would support Ko in the mayoral election in November, to which Tsai said that Ko should reaffirm his “Taiwanese values” so that DPP supporters can know that he is someone they can cooperate with.
When asked whether he has discussed the possibility of cooperation with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) for next year’s election, Ko said it depends on whether a cooperation can create values that are demanded by the public.
Wang earlier yesterday reiterated that he would “seek to be president until the very end.”
Ko was asked whether Wang’s attitude might affect their cooperation.
“It depends on how Taiwanese mainstream opinion develops and what the market wants at the end,” he said. “I realized that for ideas to combine, everyone involved should be willing to compromise a little to achieve the bigger goal, because if everyone insists on their idea, then it would be difficult to achieve.”
However, Ko denied he meant for Wang to compromise, saying that his attitude toward working with Gou and Wang remains the same, which is: “Let nature take its course.”
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
Taiwan is concerned that China could exploit the US’ war in the Middle East, with state media citing examples from the conflict to cast doubt on the efficiency of US weapons Taiwan would use to repel an invasion. Taiwanese officials said the resumption of Beijing’s large-scale air force incursions near Taiwan after an unusual decline show that China wants to take advantage of the redeployment of US forces from East Asia to the Middle East. “This is a moment for China to exercise influence,” a senior Taiwanese security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “What China is trying to create is a
RSS