Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday conceded defeat and promised to "keep all his promises" following his loss in the presidential election.
Hsieh lost to his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival Ma Ying-jeou (
This is the second election setback for the DPP this year. It lost to the KMT in the legislative elections in January, with the KMT securing a strong majority.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Hsieh had said in the run-up to the election that he would quit politics if he lost. It is also customary in the DPP for the party chairman to bear the political responsibility for an election defeat by resigning from the post.
Hsieh, however, did not say anything about stepping down last night after talking to supporters who gathered outside his campaign office after the election result was released.
With the crowd chanting "Frank Hsieh, don't go" and "jiayou" (an expression of encouragement), Hsieh led his campaign team in bowing to the public and apologized to the people of Taiwan for failing them.
"This is my personal setback, not the failure of Taiwan," he said. "It is the outcome of democracy and not a failure. Don't cry for me tonight. I will continue to protect Taiwan and its people. My life is here, not anywhere else."
Hsieh said he was sorry that his party's performance failed to meet the expectations of the public and that he should be held responsible for the defeat.
"The people of Taiwan used their ballots to make a decision today," he said. "I accept the result of the election and I want to offer my congratulations to my competitor."
He urged DPP supporters to accept the election result and to face the loss calmly. Although the process was disputable, Hsieh said, he would accept the result and urged his supporters to do the same.
"Let's mend the fractures caused during the election process so that people can again live in an environment that is full of love and trust," he said.
Although the DPP lost the election, Hsieh said, there was a more important thing to do: to carry the torch of democracy.
"Let's turn our disappointment into power and continue to protect democracy," he said.
The country's development had never been plain sailing, Hsieh said. But the bigger the wind, the more determined we are, he added.
"We will always be with the people," Hsieh said. "I sincerely pray for Taiwan and we believe in the people and this land."
Hsieh thanked the hard work and contributions of his campaign team and volunteers. He said he would never forget the people whose hands he touched at the "million people high-five" rally organized by his party last Sunday.
Hsieh said he was deeply touched by the passion of the people that day and would forever remember their enthusiasm. He said he would use that enthusiasm to inspire himslef to continue to love Taiwan.
Meanwhile, President Chen Shui-bian (
In addition to extending their congratulations to Ma and his running mate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長), Chen and Lu pledged to hand over power to the 12th president and vice president.
Chen and Lu praised the maturity of Taiwan's politics and the democratic accomplishment of its people.
‘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
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as