Amid the pan-blue camp's drive to oust President Chen Shui-bian (
About 50 pro-independence groups, including the Taiwan Hand-in-Hand Alliance, World United Formosans for Independence, Taiwan Professors Association, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan held a news conference yesterday afternoon to urge opposition parties to stop their "destructive action" and attempts to bring down the government.
The groups also said they expect that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government will conduct reforms in an effective and timely manner in order to regain the public's trust.
Taiwan Hand-in-Hand Alliance leader Ng Chiau-tong (
"Taiwan is a mature society that values law and order. We believe that the corruption allegations will be cleared up through the probes," Ng said. "But we cannot agree with the pan-blue camp's attempt to recall the president, which is nothing but a conspiracy led by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to seize power and stir up political instability."
The pro-independence groups also urged the DPP's factions to work together and put aside self-interest and political calculations in order to resolve the most severe crisis the party has ever faced.
DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (
Chai proposed a motion in the DPP's Central Standing Committee requesting that the party launch a referendum demanding that the KMT return the money it took from the treasury when it ruled Taiwan.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers