Taiwan’s vice presidential candidates yesterday clashed over relations with China, and the nation’s digitalization and green transition at a Central Election Committee (CEC) policy presentation, which was broadcast live.
CYNTHIA WU
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) vice presidential candidate Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈), the first candidate to speak, largely stayed out of the ideological strife between the pan-green and pan-blue camps, and emphasized her business knowledge and domestic livelihood issues.
Photo: Screengrab from TTV News livestream
She pledged to promote a full transition to a digital and green economy including digitizing political participation to allow absentee ballots, developing green finance to attract investors and cracking down on fraud, should she be elected.
Wu also criticized the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) energy policy, saying that net zero goals cannot be achieved without using nuclear power.
JAW SHAW-KONG
Following Wu, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) began his speech by saying DPP presidential candidate Vice President William Lai (賴清德) had profited from illegal land use.
Jaw also talked about national identity and China policy by recalling Lai’s self-description as a pro-Taiwanese independence political worker and criticized the rise in defense spending and conscription under DPP leadership.
As the rise in defense spending and the reinstatement of conscription by the DPP government shows, voting Lai into power would lead to more tension with China, he said.
Jaw also said the DPP was wrong for supporting the phaseout of nuclear power while pursuing a net zero goal.
HSIAO BI-KHIM
DPP vice presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Jaw over the years repeatedly claimed that putting the DPP in power would lead to the destruction of the Republic of China, but it did not happen, despite eight years of pan-green administration.
The DPP’s policy is to show goodwill to China but not weakness or naivety, Hsiao said, adding that the latter would be an invitation for Beijing’s abuse.
Taiwanese and the rest of the world understand that China is the sole party responsible for the increase of regional tensions by seeking to change the “status quo” by force, she said.
The nation’s business partners including Apple are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across their supply chains, and none of these corporations recognize nuclear power as a form of clean energy, she said.
THE TPP ACCUSATION
In related news, the TPP on Thursday accused Formosa TV (FTV, 民視) of editing out part of TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) remarks during Wednesday’s televised debate.
The alleged editing occurred on FTV’s YouTube channel which livestreamed the platform presentation. The channel was also in charge of relaying the signal to all other stations broadcasting the presentation, TPP spokesperson Vicky Chen (陳智菡) said.
In the missing 44 seconds, Ko accused the DPP of failing to fulfill its goal of building 200,000 social housing units in eight years and touted his own achievement in providing such units as Taipei mayor.
The incident represented a failure to report an important political event that could shape Taiwan’s future in a balanced and fair manner, Chen said, adding that Ko was the only candidate whose remarks appeared to have disappeared.
Chen Kuang-chung (陳光中), head of the Internet division of FTV News, denied the accusation.
There was likely a lag while YouTube was receiving data packets being uploaded by FTV, which could account for the missing section, he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS