Legislative by-election candidate Enoch Wu (吳怡農) yesterday rebutted accusation leveled against him by his competitor of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), saying that Taipei City Councilor Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) is “only talking negatively” about him, but does not have any policy proposals.
Wu, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate in a by-election in Taipei to fill the legislative seat vacated by KMT Taipei mayor-elect Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), during the day held several campaign events and at night canvassed at Liaoning Street Night Market in the city’s Zhongshan District (中山).
“We only hear Wang talking negatively these days,” he told reporters. “She does not respect the electorate; she has not presented any concrete plans.”
Photo: CNA
“Voters expect all candidates to present plans, so that they know what the candidate, if elected, would do and what policies the candidate would support in the name of their electorate,” he said, adding that Wang has no “constructive suggestions.”
Wang did not hold any campaign events, after she on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19.
However, she continued her campaign online, posting several videos on her social media channels, including one in which she said that “Wu [is the] favorite boy candidate chosen by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).”
However, several government agencies disagree with Wu’s proposals, Wang said, implying that his candidacy led to friction within the government.
Wu rejected the accusations and accused KMT members of running a “dirty campaign,” in which KMT Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) called him “a giant baby.”
KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy director-general Huang Tzu-che (黃子哲) also weighed in, calling him a “pus-filled cyst,” a play on his given name in Chinese.
“This is a highly personal insult,” Wu said, referring to Huang’s comment. “It once more shows that the KMT does not respect the electorate ... I believe most voters cannot accept such talk.”
“In a democratic election, candidates should aspire to take the high road and show respect,” he said. “However, it is not possible for us to ask the opposition to refrain from personal attacks. It is up to the people to use their votes and chose a candidate who stands for good policies.”
Separately, Wu’s campaign office said in a statement that “KMT officials have engaged in personal attacks that go beyond what is appropriate.”
The words KMT officials used to describe Wu were “crass” and “vicious,” the statement said.
“Does KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) condone such actions? Or has the [KMT leadership] permitted party officials to engage in such personal attacks?” it asked.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
RSS