Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) is to depart tomorrow for the US at the head of a DPP delegation of lawmakers, party officials and advisers.
During the 10-day trip, he plans to gather support ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Cho is to travel to Washington, New York, Boston and Philadelphia, where meetings have been scheduled with US representatives and influential figures from policy research institutions and think tanks, to exchange views and to discuss the current political situation in Taiwan.
It is to be Cho’s first trip to the US as DPP chairman, after assuming the position in January.
Cho is also to meet with the Formosan Association for Public Affairs and Taiwanese-American organizations, DPP spokesperson Lii Wen (李問) said yesterday.
“Cho is to deliver keynote addresses at these gatherings, as he has been invited to several events, summer camps and conventions organized by Taiwanese-American organizations,” Lii said. “Cho will thank them for their resolute support of Taiwan, and helping to safeguard Taiwan’s freedom and democracy.”
Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋), one of the DPP lawmakers in the delegation, said that Taiwanese-American organizations often hold conventions and youth camps in the summer, and always take an interest in Taiwan’s political situation.
“Cho, as the chairman, will report on what is happening in the party. We have many Taiwanese-Americans in US, and Cho will talk about party policies and direction. Cho can consolidate their support, and urge them to return to Taiwan to vote in next year’s election,” Lee said.
However, there are different factions among the Taiwanese-American community, and Taiwanese organizations in other countries.
Former premier William Lai (賴清德) challenged Tsai for the DPP’s presidential nomination, and a number of prominent Taiwanese nationalist figures backed Lai’s campaign, while others have called for smaller parties that promote Taiwanese independence to be supported instead.
Cho on Wednesday visited independence advocate Huang Hua (黃華), who has been fasting inside Taipei Main Station for more than a month.
The move was seen as a conciliatory gesture to Huang and pro-Taiwanese independence groups.
It was the second time that Cho has visited Huang since he began fasting on May 19.
Huang has only been drinking a small qunatity of fruit juice and milk each day.
The 81-year-old has said that he and several pro-green factions believe that the DPP has lost its founding ideals.
Huang was jailed for 23 years by the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government.
When he began his fast, Huang made public his manifesto, and asked Taiwanese to sign a petition to declare a new Taiwanese nation.
He called on pro-Taiwanese independence organizations and small parties to form a new political group, with the aim of replacing the KMT as the second-largest party after the DPP.
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