The campaign focus for the KMT's Lien Chan (
Yesterday, Lien's camp staged a rally in Taipei that campaign officials claimed attracted over 100,000 participants. The marchers gathered at the Taipei City Government plaza and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall at around 3pm under a steady rain. Lien, who was broadcasting a platform presentation on TV at the time, joined the parade later.
The parade moved to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, for a rock-and-roll concert organized by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
Tension ran high among supporters when the parade passed Soong's campaign headquarters on Jenai Road, but no incidents were reported.
Answering accusations that government ministries handed out NT$300 per head to employees and promised them a day off to make up for participating in the parade, Lien's spokesperson, Chu Li-lun (
At the concert, emceed by a lineup of popular entertainers to attract young voters Lien joined a singalong of a Credence Clearwater Revival -- a 1960's folk rock band -- tune with running mate Vincent Siew (
Meanwhile, the turnout at Soong's rally in Taoyuan County's sports stadium fell short of expectations, leading some analysts to remark that Academia Sinica president Lee Yuan-tseh's (
Soong's running mate Chang Chao-hsiung (
At the rally, New Party legislator Hsieh Chi-ta (
The independent candidate also tried to repair some of the damage inflicted on his campaign through the ongoing financial scandal that surrounds him. Soong said his son had sold three houses in the US that have been cited in the scandal as being paid for by embezzled KMT party funds. Half the money from the sales, he said, would go to his campaign, while the other half will go to victims of the 921 earthquake.
He also made assurances that neither his daughter-in-law, nor his granddaughter are bearers of US passports, which the DPP had alleged earlier in the week.
Soong also asked voters to "rediscover the KMT's true soul." Soong also lashed out at Chen's pro-independence image.
Both the KMT and DPP campaigns are scheduled to hold parades in Keelung City today.
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
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
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
RSS