Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman and leader of the anti-Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) campaign Shih Ming-teh (施明德) met United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) chairman Robert Tsao (曹興誠) on Ketagalan Boulevard yesterday, calling for a peaceful cross-strait coexistence.
The two discussed cross-strait relations and the nation's development during an outdoor forum held by the Home Party, which was formed last month by leaders of the demonstrations against Chen last year.
The establishment of the political party follows Shih's previous promise that his anti-Chen campaign would not form a political party nor recommend people to run in the legislative elections.
Shih last night compared Tsao with South Korean president-elect Lee Myung-bak, a former CEO of Hyundai Construction and Engineering, suggesting it would be better for an entrepreneur to lead the nation.
"The combination of two politicians only produces more politicians. Having entrepreneurs join the political stage would change the political environment for the better," Shih said.
"Both [DPP presidential candidate Frank] Hsieh (謝長廷) and [Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) compared themselves to Lee Myung-bak. I think Taiwan's Lee Myung-bak should be Mr Tsao," he said.
Tsao had no comment on that suggestion. But he reiterated his support for drafting a law that would provide a basis for peaceful cross-strait coexistence and safeguard Taiwan's democracy.
Tsao said the proposed law would resolve the cross-strait issue and end the political wrangling over independence versus unification, while ruling out a referendum on independence -- because that would be contrary to the nation's claim that it is already an independent and sovereign state.
Tsao earlier this month ran front-page ads in local newspapers suggesting that Hsieh and Ma work together to draft the law.
The ads sparked heated debate, with Chen slamming the idea as tantamount to capitulation to China.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
Eleven people, including actor Darren Wang (王大陸), were taken into custody today for questioning regarding the evasion of compulsory military service and document forgery, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. Eight of the people, including Wang, are suspected of evading military service, while three are suspected of forging medical documents to assist them, the report said. They are all being questioned by police and would later be transferred to the prosecutors’ office for further investigation. Three men surnamed Lee (李), Chang (張) and Lin (林) are suspected of improperly assisting conscripts in changing their military classification from “stand-by
LITTORAL REGIMENTS: The US Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘island hopping’ strategy to counterattack Beijing’s area denial strategy The US Marine Corps (USMC) has introduced new anti-drone systems to bolster air defense in the Pacific island chain amid growing Chinese military influence in the region, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The new Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk 1 is being developed to counter “the growing menace of unmanned aerial systems,” it cited the Marine Corps as saying. China has constructed a powerful defense mechanism in the Pacific Ocean west of the first island chain by deploying weapons such as rockets, submarines and anti-ship missiles — which is part of its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy against adversaries — the
RSS