The campaign for the Jan. 13 presidential and legislative elections officially starts today and is to last 28 days until Jan. 12, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said yesterday.
The hours that candidates are allowed to hold their campaign activities are from 7am to 10pm, CEC Chairman Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) told a news conference.
The order in which candidates are to be listed on the presidential ballot was also officially announced by Lee at the event, after a lottery was conducted earlier this week.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Taiwan People’s Party Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and his running mate, Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈), secured the top position on the ballot, while Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, and former representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) drew the second position, and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, and his running mate, Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康), placed third.
About 19.5 million eligible voters, including about 1.03 million first-time voters, will be able to cast ballots at 17,794 polling stations around the country that are to be open from 8am to 4pm, the commission said.
Taiwan does not allow absentee ballots or early voting.
The exact number of eligible voters is to be announced on Jan. 9, CEC Vice Chairman Chen Chao-chien (陳朝建) said.
Lee urged the media to adhere to the principles of impartiality and fairness when reporting on election-related issues.
Regarding public opinion polls, Lee said such activities need to list key details, including the name of the organization conducting the survey, the time, method, numbers, margin of error and source of funding.
Starting from Jan. 3, citing, publishing, disseminating, reporting or commenting publicly on any opinion polls pertaining to the elections or the candidates would not be permitted, Lee said.
The prohibition applies to political parties, the news media, polling companies and individuals, the CEC said.
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
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
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
UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
RSS