Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman candidate Steve Chan (詹啟賢) yesterday published a series of slides to answer some of the questions about the “319 shooting incident” involving former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), in a bid to fend off speculation within the party about his potential role in the incident.
“Exactly 13 years ago today, a significant incident occurred in Taiwan. Even 13 years later, people still ask me questions about it,” Chan wrote on Facebook, saying that his name has been associated with the shooting although he was not the one who pulled the trigger.
The 319 shooting incident refers to an alleged assassination attempt against Chen and then-vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) in Tainan on March 19, 2004, one day before the presidential election.
Photo: CNA
A bullet grazed Chen’s stomach and left a 13cm wound, while another bullet hit Lu in the knee.
The incident sparked conspiracy theories, as Chen later won the election by less than 30,000 votes.
Although an investigation identified the gunman as Chen Yi-hsiung (陳義雄), a Tainan resident who apparently committed suicide shortly after the incident, some people question whether he was the shooter or if he acted alone.
Chan, the then-superintendent of Chi Mei Medical Center, whose Tainan branch treated Chen Shui-bian and Lu, is facing accuations that he might have covered up the incident’s details as the KMT’s May 20 chairperson election draws near.
Shrugging off questions about why the two Democratic Progressive Party candidates were not sent to a hospital closer to the crime scene for treatment, Chan said Chi Mei’s Tainan branch was the closest hospital by the time the doctor accompanying Chen Shui-bian examined his injuries.
“The choice was made after various traffic factors were considered to determine which hospital could be reached within the shortest time,” Chan said.
Chan also cited video recordings of Chen Shui-bian’s treatment to dismiss speculation that his injuries might have been fabricated, saying that he had no prior knowledge about the attack and that he was getting a haircut when Chen Shui-bian arrived at the hospital.
Regarding former KMT legislator Wang Chung-yu’s (王鍾渝) allegation that a nurse at the hospital was told to “stand by” a day before the attack, Chan said the claim was most likely a fabrication, as the hospital was unable to identify the nurse.
Although many questions remain unanswered, such as whether the shooting was authentic, whether Chen Shui-bian really sustained a bullet wound and whether the alleged shooter was murdered, one thing is certain: “Chi Mei Medical Center and I played no part in the attack,” Chan said.
“We provided nothing but professional medical service,” he added.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
‘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
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated