Taiwan’s sovereignty is in jeopardy and the country could be sacrificed under the leadership of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
“The compromises made by the new government in exchange for uncertain economic advantages from such things as cross-strait charter flights and tourism have put Taiwan’s sovereignty in unprecedented danger,” she said. “The DPP must not watch this happen with folded arms and look on unconcerned. Instead, it must use its governing experience and play the role of balancing and monitoring [the government] well.”
Tsai made the remarks at the DPP’s annual National Convention yesterday, the first she presided over after assuming the party chairmanship in May.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES
In her speech, Tsai said the KMT government had led Taiwan into a crisis even though it has only been in power for two months.
On the economic front, she said “the government is addicted to expansionary policies while ignoring the problem of inflation.”
As for the stock market, the government misled investors and ended up causing them huge losses, she said.
The government’s China-leaning cross-strait policies and its 25 measures on opening the nation to China would only result in Taiwan losing its bargaining chips in cross-strait exchanges, and prompted Taiwan’s allies to question whether Taiwan would remain of strategic significance to them, she said.
Tsai said that when the KMT was in the opposition, it long blocked weapons procurement bills, and since assuming office in May, its ambiguous position toward the issue has lost the nation an opportunity to strengthen its defenses.
Tsai told her audience that the DPP must stand up to assert the interests of Taiwan and the Taiwanese, insist on upholding Taiwan’s sovereignty and stand by the right of Taiwanese to choose their country’s future.
“The DPP must stage a comeback and become a better choice than the KMT for voters,” she said.
The one-day convention yesterday passed a proposal not to conduct a primary for next year’s mayoral elections. Instead, candidates who will run in the local elections would be recruited and vetted by the Central Executive Committee (CEC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
Former DPP legislator Lin Chun-mo (林重謨) told the convention that, as the party chairwoman, Tsai should play a major role in the CEC’s nomination process and take responsibility for the nominations. The convention proposed the nominations be named by the end of this year.
The convention also approved an amendment to the party’s corruption code, specifying certain behavior and conduct that would be regarded as corruption and outlined punishments for such acts.
The party representatives attending the convention also elected 30 CEC members. Ten were elected from the 30 members-elect of the Central Standing Committee.
Several DPP heavyweights attended the convention, including former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), former premiers Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Yu Shyi-kun, and former chairman Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良). Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) was invited as a guest.
Tsai said that Chen had invited Hsu to rejoin the party. After failing to secure the party’s presidential nomination for the 2000 presidential election, Hsu withdrew from the DPP in 1999 and ran unsuccessfully as an independent.
Hsu was closely associated with the pan-blue camp over the past few years, particularly during the anti-Chen Shui-bian campaign in August 2006 initiated by former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德). Hsu’s endorsement of Hsieh in the run-up to March’s presidential election was as an apparent move away from the pan-blue camp.
Hsu reportedly had asked Tsai yesterday “to return his old party card,” indicating Hsu’s willingness to rejoin the party.
Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-Fang and Tseng Wei-chen
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology