Criticism directed at Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) from within the party are inappropriate and unfair, former KMT chairman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀住) said yesterday, while denying a rumor that the party is seeking to replace Han with Hon Hai Precision Industry founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) for the presidential race.
KMT Central Advisory Committee member Chen Hung-chang (陳宏昌) on Sunday said the party nominated a candidate who knows nothing but playing mahjong, womanizing and drinking.
Hung said the criticism was “sad to hear,” but added that Chen “was not that kind of person,” citing their years as colleagues in the legislature.
Regardless of whether he has changed over the years, grew distant from the party or felt that Han was not the best candidate, it was inappropriate and unfair to make such comments, even if they were made to “give face” to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Hung said.
Chen made the remarks while accompanying Tsai on her visit to New Taipei City’s Yonglian Temple.
As for Chen likening the KMT revoking his membership to an act by the Red Guards, Hung said the party would lack discipline if it took no action against him, adding that she would respect Han’s decision whether to take Chen to court.
As for rumors that Gou would partner with former legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and is waiting for the KMT to switch candidates, Hung said that it is impossible for the party to do so unless Han bowed out himself.
Hung said the party should have a “pocket candidate” as contingency, but added that its chances of winning the presidential election on Jan. 11 next year would “not be optimistic” if it swapped candidates at the last moment again.
In October 2015, four months before the 2016 presidential election, the KMT replaced then-presidential candidate Hung with then-New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), who lost the race to Tsai.
The current electoral situation is worrisome, Hung said, but added that she is certain that Gou is sincere in his intention to “do something” for Taiwan.
The KMT’s presidential primary results were no doubt a great setback for him, Hung said.
Gou last month lost the primary to Han by 17 percentage points.
Hung called on the public not to criticize Gou and Wang too much and said that the party should give their supporters some time to calm down.
The KMT should try to keep them within the party, as “unity makes strength,” Hung said.
Hung said she did not know whether Gou would run as an independent and renounce his party membership, adding that she was also unclear about Wang saying: “Heaven knows what will happen ... but I am a man of my word,” while promising not to leave the KMT.
INFRASTRUCTURE: Work on the second segment, from Kaohsiung to Pingtung, is expected to begin in 2028 and be completed by 2039, the railway bureau said Planned high-speed rail (HSR) extensions would blanket Taiwan proper in four 90-minute commute blocs to facilitate regional economic and livelihood integration, Railway Bureau Deputy Director-General Yang Cheng-chun (楊正君) said in an interview published yesterday. A project to extend the high-speed rail from Zuoying Station in Kaohsiung to Pingtung County’s Lioukuaicuo Township (六塊厝) is the first part of the bureau’s greater plan to expand rail coverage, he told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). The bureau’s long-term plan is to build a loop to circle Taiwan proper that would consist of four sections running from Taipei to Hualien, Hualien to
The Civil Aviation Administration yesterday said that it is considering punishments for China Airlines (CAL) and Starlux Airlines for making hard landings and overworking their cabin crew when the nation was hit by Typhoon Kong-rey in October last year. The civil aviation authority launched an investigation after media reported that many airlines were forced to divert their flights to different airports or go around after failing to land when the typhoon affected the nation on Oct. 30 and 31 last year. The agency reviewed 503 flights dispatched by Taiwanese airlines during those two days, as well as weather data, flight hours
A relatively large earthquake may strike within the next two weeks, following a magnitude 5.2 temblor that shook Taitung County this morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. An earthquake struck at 8:18am today 10.2km west of Taitung County Hall in Taitung City at a relatively shallow depth of 6.5km, CWA data showed. The largest intensity of 4 was felt in Taitung and Pingtung counties, which received an alert notice, while areas north of Taichung did not feel any shaking, the CWA said. The earthquake was the result of the collision between the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate, the agency said, adding
Three people have had their citizenship revoked after authorities confirmed that they hold Chinese ID cards, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said yesterday. Two of the three people were featured in a recent video about Beijing’s “united front” tactics by YouTuber Pa Chiung (八炯) and Taiwanese rapper Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源), including Su Shi-en (蘇士恩), who displayed a Chinese ID card in the video, and taekwondo athlete Lee Tung-hsien (李東憲), who mentioned he had obtained a Chinese ID card in a telephone call with Chen, Liang told the council’s weekly news conference. Lee, who reportedly worked in
RSS