Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) resigned as party chairman yesterday, pending the approval of the party's Central Executive Committee, which is to call a meeting today to discuss the matter.
Another meeting will also be called to examine the party's recent election defeats. Recommendations will be presented to a provisional National Congress, the date of which will be decided by the Central Executive Committee today.
Also on the National Congress' agenda is amending the party charter and election rules for party officials.
PHOTO: WALLY SANTANA, AP
DPP Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) told reporters after yesterday's Central Standing Committee meeting that committee members resolved to ask Hsieh to assist the party with its soul-searching and reform program until a new party leader is elected on May 25.
Lee refused to describe the resolution as an attempt to ask Hsieh to stay, saying Hsieh had made it clear that he would not stand in the party chairman election or any race for public office.
Lee said he did not know whether Hsieh would accept the committee's request, but one thing was clear: Hsieh would not accept the offer "if its sole purpose was to get him to stay."
The committee's request came in response to a petition initiated by DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (
Hsieh's resignation came on the heels of the DPP's defeat in Saturday's election. It is customary in the DPP for the party chairman to bear responsibility for an election loss by resigning.
Hsieh succeeded President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as party chairman following the DPP's losses in the legislative elections in January.
Saying the party must fully examine its three recent election losses, Hsieh yesterday proposed during the Central Standing Committee meeting that first, the party must assess its position and realize that it is about to become an opposition that "has nothing at all."
"The people do not have the obligation to support the DPP," he said. "If we do not implement a thorough reform, it is possible that we will dissolve in the near future."
Secondly, Hsieh said that the party must solicit more young members and let them participate in the party's reform program and decision-making process.
Thirdly, Hsieh proposed holding a temporary National Congress meeting to let party representatives voice their opinions and discuss the party's future and its course. The party should amend its charter and election rules so younger members can elect the next leader in May, he said.
Finally, Hsieh urged the party to serve as a check on the power of the ruling party, but they should help the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) implement good policies, he said.
He also called on president-elect Ma Ying-jeou (
Meanwhile, Hsieh and Presidential Office Secretary-General Yeh Chu-lan (
Hsieh said he did not meet former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (
Shih claimed that Hsieh's campaign agreed to force Chen to step down in an attempt to salvage the DPP's election.
SEND A MESSAGE: Sinking the amphibious assault ship, the lead warship of its class, is meant to show China the US Navy is capable of sinking their ships, an analyst said The US and allied navies plan to sink a 40,000-tonne ship at the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise to simulate defeating a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan. This year’s RIMPAC — the 29th iteration of the world’s largest naval exercise — involves the US, 28 partners, more than 25,000 personnel, 40 warships, three submarines and more than 150 aircraft operating in and around Hawaii from yesterday to Aug. 1, the US Navy said in a press release. The major components of the event include multidomain warfare exercises in multiship surface engagements, anti-submarine warfare and multi-axis defense of a carrier strike
Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China when traveling in countries with close ties to Beijing, Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said on Friday. Chen’s comments came after China on Friday last week announced new judicial guidelines targeting Taiwanese independence advocates. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Djibouti are among the countries where Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China, he said. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday elevated the travel alert for China, Hong Kong and Macau to “orange” after Beijing announced its guidelines to “severely punish Taiwanese independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession.” Extradition treaties
The airspace around Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to be closed for an hour on July 25 and July 23 respectively, due to the Han Kuang military exercises, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The annual exercise is to be held on Taiwan proper and its outlying islands from July 22 to 26. During last year’s exercise, the military conducted anti-aircraft landing drills at the Taoyuan airport for the first time, for which a one-hour no-fly ban was issued. Based on a live-fire bulletin sent out by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the nation’s
CROSS-BORDER CRIME: The suspects cannot be charged with cybercrime in Indonesia as their targets were in Malaysia, an Indonesian immigration director said Indonesian immigration authorities have detained 103 Taiwanese after a raid at a villa on Bali, officials said yesterday. They were accused of misusing their visas and residence permits, and are suspected of possible cybercrimes, Safar Muhammad Godam, director of immigration supervision and enforcement at the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights told reporters at a news conference. “The 103 foreign nationals stayed at the villa and conducted suspicious activities, which we suspect are activities related to cybercrime activities,” he said, presenting laptops and routers at the news conference. Godam said Indonesian authorities cannot charge them with conducting cybercrime. “During the inspection, we