Accusing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of economic mismanagement, presidential candidate of the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) yesterday pledged to bring prosperity back to Taiwan.
"If I am elected, the new government will be one comprised of experts and professionals who know how to efficiently tackle the nation's problems," said presidential hopeful KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) at a campaign rally held last night in Tucheng, Taipei County.
"The new government would be one of love and reconciliation," he added, expressing his willingness to visit those who harbor different ideologies from him after he wins the election in order to gain a better understanding of others.
Switching gear, Lien then appealed to the crowd to support his election bid by campaigning on his pledges, among which including holding a regional referendum by the end of the year on the merging of Taipei City and Taipei County and his push for an enlisted military.
Lien, who is running on a joint ticket with his PFP counterpart James Soong (宋楚瑜), also restated his vow to donate his income to charity should he win the presidential election.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) were among the pan-blue camp's top figures who stumped for Lien at the rally last night.
Differing from its usual style of having Lien and Soong appear together at rally events, the alliance last night resorted to division of labor with Lien taking the stage at the rally in Taipei County while Soong appeared at a rally in Hsinchu.
While fervent pan-blue faithful at the rally sounded air horns and screamed "get elected," vendors were seen on the outer ring of the venue, taking advantage of the mass pan-blue supporters gathering and selling KMT-PFP party paraphernalia including Lien and Soong battery powered dolls, hats, jumpers and scarves.
The rally last night drew an estimated crowd of 30,000 supporters to the venue, according to Lien's campaign team.
Prior to taking the stage at Tucheng Stadium last night, Lien took part in a street procession during the day in Hsinchu city and county, which are known for their concentration of Hakka residents.
Accompanied by Hakka heavyweight KMT Vice Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and a number of pan-blue legislators, Lien stood on an open-topped jeep and waved to passers-by as his campaign team drove through the area.
In between, Lien make a stop at Yimin Temple (義民廟) appealing to crowd for support.
"Let's carry on our passion [displayed last Saturday] to March 20," Lien said, referring to the series of marches staged by the alliance across the nation last Saturday protesting against President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
"On March 20, let's turn our passion into action, turn the strength into votes and turn confidence into victory," Lien said to his supporters.
In his speech, Lien fingered the DPP administration of being perfunctory with the nation's Hakka by only having one Hakka -- the chairwoman of the Council for Hakka Affairs Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) -- serving in its Cabinet team.
Lien pledged that he would have at least one Hakka heading one of the five Yuans in his new government should he win the presidency.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and