It is “not necessarily a bad thing” that newly elected Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) has not yet received a congratulatory telegram from Beijing, a KMT legislator who asked to remain anonymous said yesterday.
Chiang was elected chairman on Saturday in a by-election in which he received 84,860 votes to beat his sole opponent, former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), who received 38,483 votes.
In the past, the Chinese president — in his capacity as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — would send a congratulatory telegram whenever a KMT chairperson was elected, the KMT legislator said.
Photo: Ou Su-mei, Taipei Times
However, not receiving a telegram from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) was “not necessarily a bad thing” for Chiang, as it meant the outcome of the chairperson election would more likely have the support of Taiwanese, the legislator said.
The party should focus on reform and should be more “localized,” the legislator said.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Saturday acknowledged the election of Chiang in a news release issued by Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮), deputy director of the office’s news department.
The office hoped that Chiang would “cherish and protect the mutual trust between the CPP and the KMT on the foundation of the 1992 consensus,” the statement said.
It called on Chiang to “actively promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and advance the interests and well-being of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”
During a policy debate prior to the election, Chiang had said he felt that the “1992 consensus” was “a little bit outdated.”
The so-called “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Chiang yesterday said that not receiving a telegram from Xi would not affect his promotion of reforms.
“Perhaps my election will not only give Taiwanese a new concept of things, but will also do the same for those in the mainland,” he said.
Separately, KMT caucus convener Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) yesterday said that he expects better cooperation between KMT headquarters and the party’s caucus following Chiang’s election.
The party would ensure there is a certain ratio of city and county officials in the KMT Central Standing Committee so that it is in touch with popular will, he said, adding that he also expects better communication between the KMT and other parties.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party yesterday released a statement congratulating Chiang.
“We expect the new KMT chairman, Chiang, to open up a new era... People look forward to good interaction and cooperation between the ruling party and opposition parties, and for them to work together to advance Taiwan’s democracy and achieve major reforms that benefit the nation,” it said.
New Power Party Chairman Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), who was a former colleague of Chiang’s at Soochow University, also passed on his congratulations.
Additional reporting by Chung Li-hua and Jason Pan
Five countries have in the past few months canceled preferential visa treatment for Taiwan passport holders due to pressure from China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. It was responding to a report by the National Audit Office that the number of countries offering preferential visa treatment to holders of Taiwan passports had dropped from 171 at the end of last year to 166 in April. In its Central Government Budget Audit Report, the National Audit Office also said that the ministry had failed to provide timely updates on the visa changes, which could affect Taiwan passport holders’ overseas travel. In response
More Taiwanese spectators at the Paris Olympics have reported having signs and banners confiscated by security staff or snatched by Chinese fans. Sandy Hsueh (薛雅俶), president of the Taiwanese Association in France, said that three security personnel confiscated a blank piece of cardboard from her at Sunday’s men’s doubles badminton final, in which Taiwan’s Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) defeated China’s Liang Weikeng (梁偉鏗) and Wang Chang (王昶) to win their second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. A staff member told her they had “received an instruction from the Olympic Games saying that anything related to Taiwan or
YEARS OF SERVICE: Doris Brougham’s program and magazines supplemented classroom material of three generations of English-language learners in Taiwan Celebrated English-language educator Doris Brougham, also known locally as Peng Meng-hui (彭蒙惠), died on Tuesday evening. She was 98. Brougham was the creator of Studio Classroom (空中英語教室) — a popular English-language radio program which first aired in 1962 — and the magazine Let’s Talk in English (大家說英語). Her work had benefited three generations of English-language learners in Taiwan. Brougham in 2022 received the Order of Brilliant Star for her contribution to Taiwanese society. She was among the first foreigners to obtain permanent legal residency in Taiwan and became a citizen in May last year. Born 1926 to a Christian family in Seattle, Brougham
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) yesterday defended her comments lauding the victory of Taiwan’s badminton duo at the Paris Olympics as “the pride of Chinese people.” Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) on Sunday won the first gold medal for Taiwan in the men’s doubles at this year’s Olympics. Lee and Wang’s gold medal win is the “Pride of Chinese people,” Weng wrote on China’s WeChat social media app. In response to media queries yesterday, she said: “We are Chinese... No matter who wins, Team Taiwan or the team from mainland China, it is still the pride of all