Pro-independence advocates yesterday called on voters to support the Free Taiwan Party (FTP), saying at a news conference in Taipei that the pan-green camp as a whole — rather than just the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — should win the majority in next year’s legislative elections, adding that other pan-green parties should keep the DPP in check if it wins the presidency.
“The DPP is now the governing party-to-be, and we do not have any problem with the DPP winning the presidency, but in the legislature, the pan-green camp — not just the DPP — should occupy the majority,” said Janice Chen (陳昭姿), a long-time independence advocate who has accepted the FTP’s nomination as a legislator-at-large candidate.
The party released its full list of candidates at the event.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
“We will be in a competitive, yet cooperative, relationship with the DPP,” Chen said.
“Should the governing [DPP] do something wrong, the FTP would function as a provider of checks and balances,” she said.
Hsiao Hsiao-ling (蕭曉玲), who is another FTP legislator-at-large candidate, echoed Chen’s call.
“Please cast your legislator-at-large ballots for the FTP, as the DPP has too much support now,” Hsiao said.
Hsiao was previously a music teacher at Zhongshan Junior High School in Taipei, but was dismissed in 2007 after criticizing then-Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin’s (郝龍斌) education policy.
Hsiao also filed a lawsuit against Hau.
The party’s other candidates include Taipei Veterans General Hospital doctor Kuo Cheng-tian (郭正典) — who is a member of former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) medical team — and rights advocate Lin Yi-fang (林一方), who is to run for the regional seat in Miaoli County.
FTP Chairperson Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴) said the party would try to gain support from voters with its ideologies of Taiwanese independence, sustainable development and social justice.
“Our main objective is to get enough legislator-at-large ballots to gain seats in the legislature, and we will be aiming for more regional representation in the subsequent legislative election,” Tsay said.
‘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
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and