Sat, Dec 21, 2019 page3

• 2020 Elections: DPP to hold ‘safeguard Taiwan’ rally

  ‘RED INFILTRATION’: With the DPP branding KMT legislative candidate Wu Sz-huai a national security threat, the KMT said the DPP is using anti-China tactics to scare people

  • By Tsai Ya-hua and Yang Chun-hui / Staff reporters
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  The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday unveiled a plan to counter “red infiltration” by staging a “safeguard Taiwan, boycott Wu Sz-huai” rally outside its Taipei headquarters on Sunday next week.

  Retired army major general Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) is a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator-at-large candidate. He sparked controversy following media reports that he attended an event in 2016 in China to commemorate the 150th birthday of Sun Yat-sen (孫逸仙), during which he sat through a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and stood as participants sang the Chinese national anthem.

  Wu and retired Central Police University associate professor Yeh Yu-lan (葉毓蘭) are clearly pro-China and pose a threat to the nation’s security if elected, DPP Vice Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) said, adding that this issue concerns not only the DPP, but parties across the political spectrum.

  

  From left, independent Legislator Freddy Lim, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative candidate for Hsinchu County’s first constituency Chou Chiang-chieh, DPP legislative candidate for New Taipei City’s 12th constituency Lai Pin-yu, DPP legislative candidate for New Taipei City’s ninth constituency Tsai Mu-lin, DPP legislative candidate for Taipei’s Daan District constituency Hsieh Pei-fen, DPP legislative candidate for Taipei’s third constituency in Zhongshan District and northern Songshan District Enoch Wu and DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan hold placards at a news conference in Taipei yesterday to urge the public to join their rally against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator-at-large candidate Wu Sz-huai on Sunday next week at 6pm outside the DPP’s headquarters in Taipei.

  Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

  The KMT has repeatedly said that its goal is “to make Taiwan safe and its people rich,” but Lin asked how the nation can be safe if Wu makes his way into the Legislative Yuan.

  It is regrettable that Wu has accused the DPP of attempting to sway public opinion against him, as it is his actions that prove he no longer recognizes the Republic of China (ROC), Lin said.

  Wu on Thursday said that he would die defending the ROC, but it looks more like he wants to destroy the ROC, Lin said.

  

  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman Hau Lung-bin, center, joins hands with KMT legislators who are seeking re-election —Chiang Wan-an, left, Alex Fei, second right, and Lee Yen-hsiu — at a rally outside Nanjing Market in Taipei’s Songshan District yesterday.

  Photo: Tsai Ya-hua, Taipei Times

  Enoch Wu (吳怡農), the DPP legislative candidate for the Zhongshan-Southern Songshan electoral district, said he initiated a drive to boycott Wu not to win points in the election, but to uphold national security.

  Wu said he regrets that his rival, KMT Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), had chosen to remain silent over the issue, urging people to vote for a candidate who resolutely defends the nation in the Jan. 11 legislative elections.

  Meanwhile, KMT Vice Chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) accused the DPP of whipping up anti-China sentiment and instilling in people a sense of doom to gain an electoral advantage.

  Young voters should wake up to the reality that contrary to the DPP’s statement that it would employ young people to help its administration, the unemployment rate among young people remains high, he told reporters while stumping for Chiang and KMT legislators Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) and Alex Fai (費鴻泰) in Taipei.

  The DPP rout in last year’s local elections showed that people loathed the party, which has damaged cross-strait relations, allowed the economy to stay weak and could not do anything right, he said.

  Hau said he wants to ask voters if they are satisfied with the DPP administration’s performance over the past three years and if their answer is “no,” then they should vote the KMT back to power to improve the economy and cross-strait ties.

  “With the DPP having obtained administrative power and a legislative majority, it would not have to take to the streets to impress the people if the economy was doing well and people’s pockets were full,” Lee said.

  The DPP is at its wit’s end and can only resort to rousing up anti-China sentiment to grab the public’s attention, she said.

  Since its massive losses in last year’s local elections, the DPP has relied on stirring up public hatred toward China and wasteful spending on subsidies in its election campaign, but the public has remained unhappy with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Lee said.
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