Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) yesterday downplayed growing calls within the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for him to run for president next year, urging the public “not to think too much” during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Han on Nov. 24 last year became the first KMT candidate to win the Kaohsiung mayoral election in 20 years after a meteoric rise to fame.
“Do not ask me if I am going to run for president,” Han said yesterday as he visited a temple in the city. “Let’s just enjoy the holiday and not think too much.”
Photo: Huang Chia-lin, Taipei Times
Boosting the city’s economy is his priority at the moment, Han said, adding that he has seen signs of improvement and increased happiness among Kaohsiung residents.
In light of the KMT’s regained public support, senior KMT members including former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), KMT Legislator Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) have expressed their intent or are rumored to be planning to run for president.
In light of the potentially fierce competition, former KMT Central Policy Committee director Alex Tsai (蔡正元) on Thursday proposed that party headquarters, as a rule, only nominates candidates who command higher or similar support ratings to Han’s in opinion polls.
Asked about Tsai’s proposal in an interview on Friday, Wu said that he has asked a KMT think tank to evaluate the matter, and suggest a date and procedure for the presidential primary.
“He has my blessing, whether he plans to improve his city or serve the entire nation,” Wu said when asked about the calls for Han to run.
Asked the same question yesterday, Chu said that making Taiwan a better place is what motivated him to enter politics.
“The most important goal for 2020 is not personal victory, but rather a victory for the entire KMT,” said Chu, who announced a presidential bid after completing his second term as mayor in December.
Ma yesterday also responded positively to the growing support for Han.
“It would certainly be nice if he is willing to run,” he said.
Additional reporting by Wang Chun-Chieh and Wu Chun-feng
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
The Ministry of Environment yesterday held a seminar in Taipei for experts from Taiwan and Japan to exchange their experiences on the designs and development of public toilets. Japan Toilet Association chairman Kohei Yamamoto said that he was impressed with the eco-toilet set up at Daan Forest Park, adding that Japan still faces issues regarding public restrooms despite the progress it made over the past decades. For example, an all-gender toilet was set up in Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku District several years ago, but it caused a public backlash and was rebuilt into traditional men’s and women’s toilets, he said. Japan Toilet Association
RSS