As Taiwan counts down to election day, a group of protesters yesterday called for a post-poll coalition between the ruling DPP and the opposition KMT to break the legislative gridlock and save the economy.
Impersonators of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), walked down a red carpet outside the Presidential Office for a conciliation handshake, escorted by the two KMT candidates who organized the protest.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The candidates urged the DPP and the KMT to set aside their enmity and cooperate to save the nation's economy, which has plunged into recession with unemployment climbing to record levels.
"KMT-DPP cooperation to save Taiwan," the candidates, Chen Horng-chi (
Chen, who ended 55 years of KMT rule after winning last year's presidential poll, has sent up trial balloons lately, offering to share power with opposition parties in a broadbased post-election coalition government.
Opposition leaders have cold-shouldered Chen's reconciliation overtures, insisting the party with the most number of seats in parliament should form the new Cabinet.
Yesterday's protest was seen by analysts as a sign of an emerging rift in the ranks of the KMT, who suspect the DPP plans to poach its legislators after the elections.
Beating gongs and drums, a convoy of 400 cars stretching several kilometers drove to the Presidential Office and blew their horns in a show of support for political reconciliation between the KMT and the DPP.
"We hope the two parties set aside their enmity to save Taiwan's economy," protest leader Chen Hsueh-fen said.
Riot police armed with clubs and shields stood by and barbed-wire barricades were set up on streets leading to the Presidential Office.
No violence was reported.
On Saturday, about 1,500 flag-waving protesters marched through the capital, calling for the KMT to merge with their splinter parties to help its chances of recapturing the presidency in 2004.
NATIONAL SECURITY: The Chinese influencer shared multiple videos on social media in which she claimed Taiwan is a part of China and supported its annexation Freedom of speech does not allow comments by Chinese residents in Taiwan that compromise national security or social stability, the nation’s top officials said yesterday, after the National Immigration Agency (NIA) revoked the residency permit of a Chinese influencer who published videos advocating China annexing Taiwan by force. Taiwan welcomes all foreigners to settle here and make families so long as they “love the land and people of Taiwan,” Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told lawmakers during a plenary session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. The public power of the government must be asserted when necessary and the Ministry of
CROSSED A LINE: While entertainers working in China have made pro-China statements before, this time it seriously affected the nation’s security and interests, a source said The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) late on Saturday night condemned the comments of Taiwanese entertainers who reposted Chinese statements denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty. The nation’s cross-strait affairs authority issued the statement after several Taiwanese entertainers, including Patty Hou (侯佩岑), Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜) and Michelle Chen (陳妍希), on Friday and Saturday shared on their respective Sina Weibo (微博) accounts a post by state broadcaster China Central Television. The post showed an image of a map of Taiwan along with the five stars of the Chinese flag, and the message: “Taiwan is never a country. It never was and never will be.” The post followed remarks
Proposed amendments would forbid the use of all personal electronic devices during school hours in high schools and below, starting from the next school year in August, the Ministry of Education said on Monday. The Regulations on the Use of Mobile Devices at Educational Facilities up to High Schools (高級中等以下學校校園行動載具使用原則) state that mobile devices — defined as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches or other wearables — should be turned off at school. The changes would stipulate that use of such devices during class is forbidden, and the devices should be handed to a teacher or the school for safekeeping. The amendments also say
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT: The American Institute in Taiwan director said that the US would expand investment and trade relationships to make both nations more prosperous The US would not abandon its commitment to Taiwan, and would make Taiwan safer, stronger and more prosperous, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said. “The US’ commitment to Taiwan has been consistent over many administrations and over many years, and we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan, including our opposition to any attempt to use force or coercion to change Taiwan’s status,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Friday last week, which was published in the Chinese-language newspaper yesterday. The US would double down on its efforts
RSS