President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who doubles as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman, announced more party appointments yesterday, naming vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) as the party's honorary chief adviser and former DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun as chief adviser.
Chen also said that Yu's former special assistant, Lin Yu-chang (林右昌), would remain in his position.
Deputy Presidential Office Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who will assume the position of DPP secretary-general, said the party's two deputy secretaries-general will be former Taipei City councilor and Su campaign office director Lan Shih-tsung (藍世聰) and Liu Chien-hsin (劉建忻), Yu's former special assistant and former deputy minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission.
Chen, on his first visit to party headquarters since he assumed its chairmanship on Thursday, said he was simply playing a supporting role and that DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
Arguing that cooperation between himself and Hsieh would create a win-win situation, Chen said he would like to lead the party to victory in the legislative elections in January and the presidential election in March.
He said he also hoped to see the party's referendum proposal on joining the UN under the name "Taiwan" succeed.
Chen said his role was that of a volunteer whose responsibility it is to unite the party and to serve as the "carrier of a sedan chair" to take its occupant where he wants to go.
On cooperation with the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), Chen said that he had some ideas about what the TSU wants and would work with the political ally to win the legislative elections.
Other appointments included DPP Legislator Hsieh Hsin-ni (
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
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
Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today. The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said. The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect. The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have
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