Taipei prosecutors are investigating suspected bribes connected to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) founder Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) presidential campaign, as the billionaire gathers signatures to run in next year’s election.
Thirteen people have been questioned over suspected cash payments offered in exchange for signatures in support of Gou’s presidential bid, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday.
Gou’s campaign has distanced itself from the suspects, repeating its earlier condemnation of illegal behavior.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The bribery investigation is the latest blow to Gou’s campaign. Chinese authorities last month announced a probe of the tech giant he founded.
Meanwhile, Gou and his running mate, Tammy Lai (賴佩霞), yesterday submitted petition signatures they collected to the Taipei City Election Commission.
“Today is a very important day. I am here to convey the aspirations of the Taiwanese people in pursuing democracy and freedom,” said Gou, who did not reveal the number of signatures filed.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Gou is required by law to collect 289,667 signatures, equivalent to 5 percent of eligible voters in the 2020 presidential election by today.
In related news, Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate, has said that Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) is “at the top” of the list of candidates he is considering as a running mate.
He made the remarks in a trailer aired on Tuesday for a TV interview with host Paul Lee (李四端).
In the interview clip, William Lai said he has a list of six possible vice presidential picks, of whom Hsiao and former minister of culture Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) have generated the most discussion.
Pressed by Lee on whether Hsiao is “at the top” of his list of potential running mates, Lai said: “Yeah, you could say that.”
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
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