Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) yesterday handed over the party’s reins to new KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), who said the KMT would be a “united,” “connected” and “combative” party under his leadership.
Chiang, who took over as KMT chairman on March 9 last year, lost the position to Chu in a four-way race on Sept. 25 that also included Sun Yat-sen School president Chang Ya-chung (張亞中) and former Changhua County commissioner Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源) as candidates.
A handover ceremony was held at KMT headquarters in Taipei yesterday morning, with former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), former vice president Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and former KMT chairs Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) among the guests in attendance.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Chu, who served as KMT chairman from January 2015 to January 2016, said the end of the party’s chairperson election marked “the beginning of unity and the beginning of the fight.”
He described himself as “head coach” of the party, and vowed to unite all KMT members and politicians.
“The premier established the Chinese Nationalist Party and led us in establishing the Republic of China,” Chu said, referring to Sun Yat-sen (孫中山).
“Every member of the KMT must always remember that we are all followers of the premier,” Chu said. “Our central idea is to defend the Republic of China. Our central idea is the premier’s lifelong effort to strive and work hard for our democracy and freedom.”
He emphasized a need to reconnect with KMT members with whom the party had lost contact and who he said might be disappointed or dissatisfied with the party.
This would be the first step in the KMT’s efforts toward unity, he added.
On cross-strait relations, Chu said that the KMT would restart a platform for cross-strait exchanges in accordance with the party’s charter and policy platform.
Allowing the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to create a more peaceful environment would be most beneficial to Taiwanese, he said.
The KMT must also connect with the international community, he said, listing as examples the US, Japan, the EU, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries.
In a diverse society, the KMT must expand its reach, he said, adding that he hopes young people will join and change the KMT.
Chu said “we want everyone to work together” on an upcoming recall vote against Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟), two KMT-sponsored referendums to be held on Dec. 18, next year’s local elections, and the presidential and legislative elections in 2024.
The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables sold in local markets revealed a 25 percent failure rate, with most contraventions involving excessive pesticide residues, while two durians were also found to contain heavy metal cadmium at levels exceeding safety limits. Health Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) yesterday said the agency routinely conducts inspections of fresh produce sold at traditional markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, retail outlets and restaurants, testing for pesticide residues and other harmful substances. In its most recent inspection, conducted in May, the department randomly collected 52 samples from various locations, with testing showing
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the