Minister without portfolio-designate Chang Ching-sen (張景森), yesterday apologized for his comments made about a campaign against a controversial urban renewal project in Taipei, but defended valuing the rights of the public more than those of individual property owners when it comes to expropriation and forced demolition for urban renewal.
“I would like to make it clear here that was an inappropriate satirical post, and I would like to formally apologize for it,” Chang said in a 3,000-word statement on Facebook. “As a government official-to-be who will soon be handling public policies, I interpreted the campaign in a scornful way, which does not help enhance communications and would only hurt the feelings of those who took part in the campaign. I must admit this mistake, accept all criticism, and apologize to the public.”
Chang was referring to post he made on Facebook earlier in the week in which he said that a family, surnamed Wang (王), living in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) who opposed an urban renewal project was eventually given five units in a newly built luxury apartment building, with a market value of more than NT$100 million (US$3.1 million).
The forced eviction of the Wang family from their home and demolition of the property by a city government demolition squad — escorted by about 1,000 police officers — saw violent clashes with mostly student activists siding with the Wangs that triggered harsh criticism from the public.
Chang said that he “pities” the student activists who shed tears for the Wang family.
Chang deleted the post within minutes, but still drew public ire.
Chang also said that, having been an academic specializing in urban planning and serving in several government positions, he upholds the values of city planning to make Taiwan safe, beautiful and comfortable.
“Civic groups that have directly interacted with me know that I am not too different from them in pushing for reforms, but I may be different when it comes to strategy, action, and judgements on priority because of my practical experience,” Chang said.
Chang said that he would always place public interest as the priority of his policy objectives and while he also respects individual property owners’ rights, he would try to persuade them to make concessions to benefit the greater good.
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
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
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
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by