Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday called for unity after public polls confirmed DPP Legislator Chou Chun-mi (周春米) as the party’s nominee for Pingtung County commissioner in November’s election.
Chou received the most support among county residents at 58.98 percent in a one-on-one contest against potential Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate and former legislator Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉), who polled at 12.66 percent, figures from three polls showed.
Incumbent Pingtung legislators Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) and Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) trailed closely behind Chou with 51.64 and 44.87 percent support respectively.
Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei Times
The polls were conducted over two days by two public survey companies along with the DPP, contacting 3,600 county residents.
Upon winning the party’s nomination, Chou thanked local groups, politicians and residents for their support, and promised to prioritize economic development if she wins.
‘FIERCE COMPETITION’
“We have finished this fierce competition for the party’s nomination, but it is part of the democratic process. Now that the preliminary race is over, I am seeking cooperation and support from our two fellow party members,” she said. “I must consolidate all support within our party to give Pingtung a brighter future, and together we can win the county commissioner’s office.”
News reports called the campaign the most intense party showdown in Pingtung history, with each candidate enjoying strong local support and receiving endorsements from influential DPP members, reportedly leading to dissent among the DPP’s southern base.
Political commentators said the contest had manifested an internal schism, with Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an (潘孟安) backing Chou — both are members of the party’s New Tide faction — while former county commissioner Tsao Chi-hung (曹啟鴻) supported Chung.
INFIGHTING
Chuang had branded himself a strong supporter of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), with backing from former Pingtung county commissioner and legislative speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全).
During campaigning in January, Chuang sparked party infighting after saying that Chou was collaborating with the KMT, referring to the backing Chou reportedly received from Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun (周典論) and former speaker Cheng Ching-shui (程清水), as well as other local KMT leaders.
Chou Chun-mi, a former district court judge, comes from a family rooted in Pingtung politics, with her father, Chou Hui-huang (周輝煌), serving as a KMT county councilor in the 1970s, political commentators said.
Chung last week demanded a full accounting of Chou Chun-mi’s campaign expenses, suggesting that Pan had provided public resources to support her.
UNITY CALL
Leading DPP figures called for party unity and to work together to win the election in November.
“All three candidates are outstanding for the DPP, but regrettably only one can emerge as the winner,” Pan said. “We hope they can settle their differences and uphold the principles that led them to join the party.”
“We can only achieve victory for Pingtung when working as a team,” he added. “I can be certain that she [Chou Chun-mi] will become the first female commissioner for our county.”
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS