Wed, Dec 20, 2023 page2

• William Lai touts cultural plans

  ‘NATIONAL SOLIDARITY’: The DPP candidate said that while he was Tainan mayor, his vision was to make the city the ‘cultural capital,’ providing a ‘core identity’

  • By Chen Yun and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The growth of culture and arts would be a priority if he is elected president, Vice President William Lai (賴清德), said at a campaign event in Taipei yesterday.

  Lai, the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate, said that he would focus efforts to foster the sector to make it a “pillar” of the nation.

  The technology sector forms Taiwan’s “wings” allowing it to compete globally, but culture is the nation’s defining factor, Lai said.

  

  Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate and Vice President William Lai, sixth right, attends a campaign event organized by people in the creative industries in Taipei yesterday.

  Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

  “If we only had technology and no culture, no one in the international community would know who Taiwan was or what it was like,” he said.

  Lai said he is thankful for the advice and policy platforms presented by those in political circles who are also interested in fostering cultural growth, which resulted in legislation such as the Cultural Fundamental Act (文化基本法), and organizations such as the Taiwan Creative Content Agency and the Taiwan Design Research Institute.

  During his time as Tainan mayor, his vision was to make it the nation’s “cultural capital,” enabling city residents to be proud, and providing a “core identity” for Taiwanese to recognize and promote national solidarity for a better future, he said.

  

  Former premier Su Tseng-chang, front right, stumps for Democratic Progressive Party legislative candidate Chen Kuan-ting, front left, in Chiayi County’s Minsyong Township yesterday.

  Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsun, Taipei Times

  “Those who identify as Taiwanese will be the masters of this nation,” he said.

  When he gave his administrative report at the Legislative Yuan as Tainan mayor, he told lawmakers that culture is the “soul of an ethnic group” and that Taiwan should go to greater lengths to foster cultural growth, he said.

  Hopefully, everyone can work together to improve Taiwan, Lai said, urging people at the event to also support Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Tseng Sheng-kai (曾聖凱) of the DPP in their legislative election bids.

  Lawmakers are also essential to ensure that policies to foster cultural growth gain greater traction in the Legislative Yuan, Lai said.

  Separately, Taoyuan City Councilor Ling Tao (凌濤), a spokesman for the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) campaign, said that Lai had double standards regarding housing rights.

  Lai was “ruthless” in removing residents when the Tainan City Government had a railway project that forced people out of their homes, but he cried when he was accused of building an illegal home in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里), Ling said.

  Lai has said that the home is at least 50 years old and was once a dormitory for gold miners.

  Additional reporting by CNA
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