The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday unveiled its first-round nomination list for the legislative elections, announcing its potential candidates in 40 electoral districts, with little competition for the candidates.
Of the 40 candidates, Cabinet spokesman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) will represent the party to run the election in Greater Taichung. Former Taiwan Solidarity Union legislator Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) and former independent legislator Chen Chao-ming (陳超明), both from the pan-green camp, will represent the KMT in Pingtung County and Miaoli County respectively.
The list was approved by the KMT’s Central Standing Committee in its weekly meeting yesterday. The party will complete the second phase of the nomination process on May 11 and the final phase on May 25.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
KMT Culture and Communication Commission director Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the party would negotiate with prospective candidates and conduct public opinion polls to determine final candidates. Su, who had registered with the party to run in Taoyuan County, did not appear on yesterday’s nomination list. He declined to confirm the KMT’s alleged plan to appoint him to run in Greater Tainan, one of the “difficult” electoral districts for the party.
“I would respect the KMT’s overall consideration, and as a party member, I would do my best if the party were in need in difficult electoral districts,” he said.
He also dismissed the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) challenge of the KMT’s choice of Chiang, who the DPP said lacked political experience and popularity in Taichung.
“Pride goes before a fall, and the DPP should focus its attention on its own candidates. The KMT has full confidence in Chiang’s performance in the election,” he said.
In response to the combination of the legislative and presidential elections, Su said the KMT’s consistent stance is to respect the Central Election Commission’s (CEC) decisions.
“The combined elections have pros and cons, and the KMT -respected the CEC’s decision,” he added.
The KMT is expected to formally announce President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) as the party’s presidential candidate on May 4, in accordance with the party’s nomination process. Ma, the only KMT member who registered to seek the party’s presidential nomination, is likely to complete the registration process this weekend.
With the date for the presidential election to be moved forward, Ma will speed up his preparation for the election and set up his campaign office next month. Former KMT secretary-general King Pu-tsung (金溥聰), who is participating in the party’s nomination process, will serve as his campaign manager.
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
READY: The CGA said it closely monitored China’s maritime exercise, deployed vessels to shadow the Chinese ships one-on-one and set up emergency response centers Chinese navy and coast guard ships have returned to China, signaling the end of a massive maritime exercise, authorities said yesterday. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) released images it said showed Chinese vessels sailing north in rough seas past Taiwan on Thursday, on their way to China. “All the Chinese coast guard went back to China yesterday, so although they have not officially made any announcement, we consider it over,” CGA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said. Beijing has not confirmed the drills and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense did not say whether the maneuvers had taken place when asked at a
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: As some roads would be fully or partially closed, people are advised to take the MRT, with services expanded to accommodate more riders This year’s Taipei Marathon, which has obtained its first gold label certification from World Athletics, is to be held from 5am to 1pm tomorrow and would have 28,000 participants. The race is to start from the Taipei City Plaza and would go through major roads throughout the city, with traffic control implemented from 6am to 2pm, officials said. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system and New Taipei City MRT Circle line would start operating at 5am on the day of the race, they said. The race would cover Renai Road, Xinyi Road, Hangzhou S Road, Aiguo east and west roads,
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
RSS