The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is aiming to field “excellent” candidates for the local elections later this year, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who also chairs the party, said on Wednesday, at the party’s first Central Standing Committee meeting after the Lunar New Year holiday.
Tsai set out four goals that the DPP government hopes to achieve this year.
The first is to support candidates to win their local elections scheduled for Nov. 26.
The local campaigns, also known as the “nine-in-one” elections, are to take place across Taiwan with voters electing municipal mayors, county commissioners, county-level mayors, city and county councilors, and village wardens, among others.
The DPP suffered a serious defeat to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in the 2018 local elections, winning only six of the 22 municipalities and counties, while the KMT was victorious in 15.
While the DPP has yet to announce any nominations for the local elections, Tsai said the party is to select “excellent candidates” to run for local government leadership and representative positions.
The government’s second goal for this year is to strengthen its trade and economic ties with other countries, and expand collaborations with Taiwan’s democratic partners, Tsai said.
The third objective involves promoting Taiwan’s key industries to further the nation’s economic growth, Tsai said, adding that semiconductors, electric vehicles and 5G networks are at the top of the list.
Finally, the government plans to continue policies that improve the health and welfare of all citizens, she said.
The monthly allowance for a first child under the age of five is to be raised to NT$5,000 from NT$3,500 starting in August, she said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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