The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday announced that party members will elect a new chairman on Jan. 30, and that those who plan to contend for the chairmanship will have to pay NT$1.5 million as a registration fee.
President Chen Shui-bian (
DPP legislative caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (
After nearly three hours' discussion, the DPP central executive committee yesterday reached a conclusion about the necessary qualifications of the candidates who want to campaign for the chairman's post.
According to DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (
The committee overruled the suggestion that candidates should have to collect a certain number of signatures from party delegates.
"The DPP aimed to set less restrictions on candidates in order to obtain maximum participation in the election for chairmanship," Lee said yesterday.
The DPP today will publish the registration date, election date and candidates' requirements. Those who want to join the campaign have to register between Dec. 27 and Dec. 31.
The committee will review the candidates' qualifications on Jan. 4 and eligible candidates will draw their candidate number on Jan. 5.
The DPP will announce its new chairman on Feb. 1.
Before polling day, the DPP will hold two televised debates, on Jan. 22 in Taipei and Jan. 29 in Kaohsiung. A civic forum for academics, political commentators and the public will be held in Taichung on Jan. 26, Lee said.
So far, only DPP Legislator Lin Chung-mo (
"I believe that I will do a good job in leading the party," Lin said after the central executive committee meeting, confirming that he would compete for the chairmanship despite the registration fee.
Chou did not comment on the registration fee issue, only saying that she would consider participating in the race.
Meanwhile, the central executive committee decided to establish a special panel to study the party's future development, hoping to find a new direction for the DPP now that Chen has resigned as chairman.
When asked about the nomination of Control Yuan members, Lee said that the DPP had not considered using party discipline to force DPP legislators to support the nominations at this point, although some DPP legislators voiced criticism about some of the nominations.
"The DPP ... will first communicate and negotiate with those who opposed [the nominations]. We haven't thought about party discipline," Lee said.
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
RSS