Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presumptive presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) visit to a Kaohsiung night market was canceled over concerns expressed by Kaohsiung police for her safety, the contender’s team said early yesterday, before saying later that no change was made to the agenda after Kaohsiung police denied the allegation.
Hung’s team issued a notice to reporters about the cancelation of a tour scheduled for last night, saying that the city police had informed team members that Hung might not be properly protected amid the special municipality’s shortage of security guards.
“The Kaohsiung City Police Department said that since Hung is not yet an official presidential candidate, security is not sufficient for her to go to the night market. As her safety would be at risk, we have been advised to call off the event,” campaign workers said earlier in the day.
Photo: CNA
Because Hung’s itinerary had been “madly circulated online,” the night market tour was canceled over safety concerns, Hung’s assistant added.
“It has nothing to do with the city government,” the assistant said.
The municipal police department later denied the allegation, saying that no such suggestion was made to Hung’s campaign.
“We are here to sternly clarify that there is absolutely no such thing as [suggesting that Hung cancel the visit],” department inspector general Lee Yong-kuei (李永癸) said. “Deputy Legislative Speaker Hung’s safety would definitely be secured when she comes to Kaohsiung.”
There would be no difference in the protection provided to candidates because of party affiliations, he said.
Hung spokesperson Jack Yu (游梓翔) said Hung’s security detail had contacted an officer of the Kaohsiung City Police Department on Monday.
That officer said that since Hung has just two bodyguards, maintaining security at a night market might be a stretch for them, Yu said, adding that the tour had been called off for this reason.
Since the police now promised to help maintain security, Hung’s team decided to keep the activity on the agenda, Yu said.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
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
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
IDENTITY SHIFT: Asked to choose to identify as either Taiwanese or Chinese, 83.3 percent of respondents chose Taiwanese, while 8.4 percent chose Chinese An overwhelming majority of Taiwanese, 71.5 percent, think that Taiwan should compete in international competitions under the name “Taiwan,” a Taiwan Brain Trust survey published yesterday showed. Referring to Taiwan’s victory last month at the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12, the survey results showed that 89.1 percent of respondents said that Taiwan’s exceptional performance in sporting competitions furthers national unity. Only 18.8 percent of respondents supported Taiwanese teams’ continued use of the name “Chinese Taipei” in international sporting competitions, the survey showed. Among Taiwan’s leading political parties, the name “Team Taiwan” was supported by 91.1 percent of self-identified Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters,
RSS