Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday announced his support for a party legislator's proposal that the KMT hold a "Youth Forum" to discuss the party's future path.
He also urged party legislators to share any concerns they have with the party caucus, rather than the media.
The KMT caucus showed deep divisions recently during the decision-making process surrounding the confirmation of Hsieh Wen-ding (謝文定), the president's nomination for state public prosecutor-general.
Growing resentment
Growing resentment for the caucus' hawkish faction -- dubbed the "Ma troop" -- has prompted some party legislators from the south of Taiwan, led by Hsu Shu-bo (
In response, Ma yesterday said he was "happy to see legislators have opinions on the party's affairs," and welcomed party members to share their thoughts with him directly.
"What I am afraid of most is the KMT becoming a monopoly ? I am happy to listen to all kinds of opinions, and I welcome [party members] to contact me anytime," Ma said yesterday morning before attending a meeting of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 in his role as Taipei mayor.
According to the Chinese-language media, Hsu sent out invitations yesterday calling on his fellow legislators from southern Taiwan to "draw on their collective wisdom to find a correct direction for the party," because the KMT needs to examine itself so the party can return to the middle course and grow stronger.
No invite for ma
Hsu invited between 20 and 30 legislators along with Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Ma reiterated his willingness to communicate with his party's legislators, and dismissed allegations that he had indulged the hawkish faction and led the party caucus to extremes.
"I am the KMT chairman, don't you think that accusing me of controlling party factions is going a little too far?" Ma said later in the afternoon during a gathering with the press.
"Each faction has the freedom to express its opinion. [Legislators] are welcome to share their voices within the caucus, but talking to the media will only limit the room for discussion," he said.
In response to the discontent over party hawks siding with deep-blue supporters, Ma said he agreed 100 percent with the suggestions of legislators that the KMT caucus should use common sense when making decisions.
"We need to hold the party together ? I've always respected the caucus' opinion, and give it enough space to make decisions, rather than giving it orders," he added.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday established a friendship group with their counterparts in Ukraine to promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. A ceremony in Taipei for the Taiwan-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Association, initiated by DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), was attended by lawmakers and officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) and European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan Director Lutz Gullner. The increasingly dire situation in Ukraine is a global concern, and Taiwan cannot turn its back when the latter is in need of help, as the two countries share many common values and interests,
RSS