Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday remained tight-lipped about her choices for the party’s future cadres, but listed several names that she said would be entrusted with important positions within the KMT.
Hung made the remarks during a visit to Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) mausoleum in Taoyuan’s Dasi Township (大溪) to commemorate the 41st anniversary of Chiang’s death in 1975.
She was accompanied by a group of KMT members, including KMT deputy caucus whip Lin Te-fu (林德福), Chiayi City Council Speaker Hsiao Shu-li (蕭淑麗), Taitung County Council Speaker Rao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴) and former KMT legislator Lin Kuo-cheng (林國正).
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
Hung’s visit followed a trip to the mausoleum earlier yesterday by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) to pay tribute to Chiang.
As Hung had previously indicated that she would drop “hints” about her selections during her scheduled visit to the Chiang mausoleum, reporters were on hand to hear the names.
“As you can see, many heads of city and county councils, elected representatives and legislators have joined me here today. They are all going to be entrusted with significant positions in accordance with the constituencies they represent and their respective capabilities,” Hung said.
Hung said their posts would be closely intertwined with the KMT’s electoral strategies for the 2018 local elections, as the party would require their grasp of local situations and efforts to promote party affairs at the grassroots level.
However, Hung said her lineup would be announced at different stages instead of all at once, adding: “You will know tomorrow [today] morning.”
The media reported that Hung is planning to designate more than one deputy secretary-general, with Hsiao, Rao and Lin Kuo-cheng all potential candidates.
Hung, the KMT’s ninth chairperson, said her heart was filled with mixed feelings when she stood in front of Chiang, who served as the KMT’s director-general, after having witnessed the party’s ups and downs in recent years.
“I feel like I am carrying a heavy burden, particularly considering the predicaments facing the party right now. We need greater wisdom and endurance to overcome these straits,” Hung said.
When asked for comment on former KMT secretary-general Lee Shu-chuan’s (李四川) proposal to abolish an annual forum between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party, Hung said that the forum has its uses.
She said she would review and make improvements to the parts of the forum that the public deems “problematic.”
However, she added: “That does not mean we will stop holding the forum.”
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
RSS