DPP presidential candidate Chen Shui-bian (
Meanwhile, DPP faction leaders have raised objections to Chen's likely choice of a running mate, Taoyuan County commissioner Annette Lu (
Chen began consulting party senior leaders on the issue yesterday in an apparent effort to convince them to support Lu as the party's vice presidential candidate.
However, he still refused to confirm publicly whether he has already made his choice.
"I certainly have a direction and a mindset for choosing my running mate, but the final decision will not be made right now," Chen told reporters after a meeting with party chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄).
At the same time, Lin explained that according to party regulations, the presidential candidate has the right to choose his or her own running mate. Lin also stressed that he would help Chen dispel potential prejudice among other party members.
"Chen did ask me about the `Chen-Lu' ticket, but he also mentioned other possible combinations. Lu is an excellent colleague, but the party also has many other fine choices. I think Chen has still not decided for the moment," Lin said.
Meanwhile, DPP faction leaders complained about Chen's decision- making process, saying that he should have consulted with them before leaking his choice to the media.
"The presidential election is not just Chen's personal business -- it is the task for the entire party. Therefore, Chen should not fail to consult with party leaders," said Yao Chia-wei (
New Tide Alliance leader Wu Nai-jen (
"I think until November at least, Chen should look for a proper choice outside the party. Whether we win or lose the presidential election may depend on three to five percent of the vote," Wu said.
"We cannot choose the wrong person as the party's vice presidential candidate. However, we will respect Chen's decision," he said.
DPP lawmaker Yeh Chu-lan (
"If Chen is ready to pick a running mate from inside the party, he should announce his decision as soon as possible to minimize potential opposition later on," she said.
Party leaders also criticized Lu's character, saying she was an assertive politician and not easy to work with.
"Lu always persists in her own opinions. Moreover, she may bring a lot of controversy and arguments to Chen's campaign," said DPP lawmaker Chou Po-lun (
Chou and colleague Chang Chun-hung (張俊宏), both leaders of the New Era Institute faction, said Chen should choose a better person, such as former Hsinchu County commissioner Feng Cheng-chung (范振宗) or former Taipei deputy mayor Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), who served under Chen.
"If Chen wanted to get more Hakka votes, Feng is a good choice. Otherwise Chen Shih-meng is also an excellent candidate for representing mainlanders," Chang said.
Many senior party leaders appeared worried about Lu's style -- worries they expressed yesterday during both the party's weekly central standing committee meeting and at a separate meeting of Chen's campaign staff.
"Lu's ideology and political colors are right-wing, and she is a fundamentalist (independence advocate) on the cross-strait issue. These do not conform to Chen's `new middle way' platform," said Lin Feng-shi (林豐喜), a lawmaker and member of the party's Formosa faction.
Lu herself was unapologetic.
"The choice of the presidential candidate is Chen's right. Faction leaders should not be bringing their opposition to bear on him," she said.
"I have been around the world to fight for Taiwan's position in the international community. Anyone who says I'm difficult to get along with is being immature," she added.
Lu also said the party should poll the public to gauge support for who would be Chen's best choice.
The DPP is scheduled to hold a presidential campaign rally in Taoyuan Saturday, the day Chen had originally planned to announce Lu as his running mate.
Party leaders said that the number of supporters Lu is able to mobilize to join the rally may be a good indicator of her real power -- and, possibly, her chances of becoming Chen's running mate.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
Authorities yesterday elaborated on the rules governing Employment Gold Cards after a US cardholder was barred from entering Taiwan for six years after working without a permit during a 2023 visit. American YouTuber LeLe Farley was barred after already being approved for an Employment Gold Card, he said in a video published on his channel on Saturday. Farley, who has more than 420,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, was approved for his Gold Card last month, but was told at a check-in counter at the Los Angeles International Airport that he could not enter Taiwan. That was because he previously participated in two
RSS