President-elect William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced that he has left the New Tide faction of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) out of respect for the presidential office.
“I have respect for the office of the president, and want to govern the nation objectively, without partisanship,” Lai said at a regular midweek meeting of the DPP Central Standing Committee.
He also called for more unity within the party.
Photo: CNA
New Tide chief executive officer and former DPP legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) confirmed that Lai’s departure from the faction had been discussed during campaigning, with all sides agreeing it was important for a president to be seen as representing the whole nation.
“The president’s office is a symbol of unity within the party... So it would be better for the country if Lai were not a member of the faction while in office,” Tuan said.
As some people have mischaracterized and smeared the faction, Lai leaving would be better, so it does not become a burden for him, he said.
New Tide member DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said the faction supports the decision, saying that as president, people should not narrowly identify him with one party faction.
DPP Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), convener of the party’s Taiwan Forward faction, also approved of the move.
“It is a positive development to stabilize the political situation. Lai must govern for all people in Taiwan,” Wang said, adding that he hopes the decision would promote cooperation with opposition parties.
DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) said the announcement would help broaden Lai’s appeal.
“Lai can now lead with a broad approach and attract talent into the government from wider political and social circles, and he would no longer be characterized as belonging to one party, or just one faction,” Tsai said.
DPP Legislator Chang Hong-lu (張宏陸) said in an interview that it was good for Lai to remove himself from party factions.
“Although Lai is no longer a New Tide member, it would not affect the DPP’s full support for him,” Chang said.
It is only right for the presidential office to be nonpartisan and for Lai “to rise above party politics,” DPP Legislator and New Tide member Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said.
In 2006, the DPP announced that it had dissolved all factions, but they remain as informal alliances and networking groups.
In other party news, Hsu Li-ming (許立明) has resigned as DPP secretary-general.
The central standing committee approved his resignation and thanked him for his service, particularly amid the presidential election campaign.
Also during the meeting, Lai, the DPP’s chairman, split in three ways NT$160 million (US$5.1 million) in subsidies the party received based on the number of votes it garnered in the elections.
He said that a portion would be donated to charity, some would go to replenishing party funds, and a third tranche would be used to establish stipends and financial aid for party founders and elderly members in need, as well as scholarships for young members to further their education abroad.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS