Senior officials of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday voiced support for Chairman Lien Chan's (
"We must at this time stand behind Lien. We must support Lien in his decision," said KMT Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (
It is customary in Taiwan's politics that party leaders resign following their party's defeat in major elections, as a gesture of taking responsibility for the loss.
But given that Lien has refused to concede defeat to President Chen Shui-bian (
"Lien's leadership should be maintained at this moment. We should not complicate the current situation further and make it more chaotic," said KMT Legislator John Chang (
Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang also took the opportunity to dismiss speculation that the pro-localization faction within the party would split from the KMT following the failure of Lien's second bid for the presidency.
"Why split when it is time we need more than ever to stay united," Wang told reporters before the committee meeting.
He is seen by many pan-blue supporters as the key representative of the pro-localization faction.
"Everyone must be loyal to the party," he said. "If it is within everyone's heart to be loyal and love the party, then we must more than ever unite at time like this. Any effort to split or drive a wedge would only harm the party."
Stressing that the pro-localization faction would not defect, KMT Legislator Hsu Chong-hsiung (徐中雄), a committee member known for his pro-localization image, also said the party must strengthen its pro-localization image in order to stay competitive.
In view of the year-end legislative election, Hu also suggested that the KMT, the People First Party and the New Party should merge.
"The opposition alliance can not afford to remain divided," Hsu said.
His call was echoed by other Central Standing Committee mem-bers including Chang and KMT Legislator Hou Tsai-feng (侯彩鳳).
Meanwhile, the KMT is mulling the idea of staging protests in different parts of the country after its march in Taipei on Saturday to emphasize their appeal for an immediate recount of the vote.
A crowd of pan-blue supporters has been demonstrating in front of the Presidential Office to demand a recount since before dawn on Sunday morning.
The protesters support the KMT-PFP alliance's claims that the election was unfair and the assassination attempt was suspicious.
The protesters have permission from the Taipei City Government to continue their demonstration on Katagalan Boulevard till 10pm Saturday.
"Whether or not to disband the protesting crowd in front of the Presidential Office will be decided based on how the government responds [to our appeals,]" said KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (蔡正元).
‘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
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
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
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
RSS