Former senior presidential adviser Koo Kwang-ming (
"After Beijing passed its `Anti-Secession' Law, Taiwan has become divided," Koo said. "I think President Chen's recent remarks signaled a crisis in his leadership and in the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP], which is slanting toward China."
Koo made the remarks yesterday at a news conference held by the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and other pro-independence groups to urge voters to support the TSU in the National Assembly Elections on Saturday.
Koo said that Taiwan has been rocked by opposition leaders' trips to China, and it is no help to Taiwan if the two pan-green camp leaders continue to confront each other.
Koo said that the president had complained to him privately about Lee's recent comments on cross-strait relations for about 90 minutes while the two were on a trip to the Marshall Islands earlier this month.
"I thought it was only President Chen's [personal] grievance [against Lee]. However, I was so surprised that Chen would make public these complaints," Koo said. "I think it was so inappropriate for a national leader to make such remarks in public."
"After hearing President Chen's criticisms of Lee in the first interview on TV, I planned to act as a mediator between Lee and Chen; however, when I heard Chen's words in the second interview, I felt I had no position to so do," Koo said.
"President Chen lost his dignity as a national leader for criticizing former president Lee with strong rhetoric," Koo said. "I think he is incorrigible."
Koo also said that he does not support the constitutional reforms the National Assembly is to consider.
The amendments are incomplete, and will only cause confusion in the nation's political system if they are passed, he said.
"The TSU is the only party that is concerned about Taiwan's destiny. Although there is still a long way to go before the TSU can replace the DPP, I urge the people of Taiwan to nourish the TSU through these elections," Koo said.
In related news, Lee will hold a news conference this evening in Taipei to respond to the outcome of People First Party Chairman James Soong's (
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS