President Chen Shui-bian (
"The conflicts between Israel and Lebanon reflect the importance of peace," Chen said. "We have been doing our best to safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait so security can be ensured."
Chen made the remarks when receiving US Representative Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican, and his wife, who is Lebanese.
Chen said that he hoped their presence would help the street sit-in end in a peaceful manner.
"I believe you and your wife can bring happiness and good fortune to the 23 million people of Taiwan and the government I represent," he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (王世堅) yesterday responded to the anti-Chen campaign's decision to change its name.
"I acknowledge the name change of the campaign initiated by former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) from `anti-Chen' to `anti-corruption,'" he said. "However, he should be targeting the KMT because it is the source of corruption."
No matter whether the KMT's assets were worth NT$600 billion (US$19 billion) or NT$50 billion, they were obtained illegally and should be returned to the people and state coffers, Wang said.
Wang said that the money, if it could be allocated to families suffering from financial difficulties, would make a big difference.
In response, KMT caucus whip Tsai Chin-lung (
Wang said that KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was "sitting on both sides of the fence" because he was supporting the anti-Chen campaign but also wanted to see Chen stay on as president so he would stand a better chance of winning the 2008 presidential election.
"Although Shih has seen Ma's true colors, I'd like to remind him not to become a pawn of Ma," he said. "He should rein in his horses and stop the campaign right away."
Describing Ma as an "opportunist," Wang said he suspected that Ma and fugitive tycoon Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪) were behind Shih's campaign against Chen.
Wang also said Ma was too late in expressing disapproval of the application made by Shih's camp to hold the 24-hour sit-in from Sept. 11 to Sept. 15.
The city earlier had approved the campaign's application for a 24-hour sit-in from Aug. 23 to Sept. 7. Wang said that Ma should not have approved a 24-hour sit-in in the first place.
"Now he is just trying to shirk responsibility and shift the blame to others," Wang said.
Wang also demanded that Ho De-fen (
Police later discovered that it was a false alarm and said that a man suffering an apparent mental breakdown had left the bags there.
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
‘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
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
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