Legislative by-election candidate Enoch Wu (吳怡農) yesterday rebutted accusation leveled against him by his competitor of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), saying that Taipei City Councilor Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) is “only talking negatively” about him, but does not have any policy proposals.
Wu, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate in a by-election in Taipei to fill the legislative seat vacated by KMT Taipei mayor-elect Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), during the day held several campaign events and at night canvassed at Liaoning Street Night Market in the city’s Zhongshan District (中山).
“We only hear Wang talking negatively these days,” he told reporters. “She does not respect the electorate; she has not presented any concrete plans.”
Photo: CNA
“Voters expect all candidates to present plans, so that they know what the candidate, if elected, would do and what policies the candidate would support in the name of their electorate,” he said, adding that Wang has no “constructive suggestions.”
Wang did not hold any campaign events, after she on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19.
However, she continued her campaign online, posting several videos on her social media channels, including one in which she said that “Wu [is the] favorite boy candidate chosen by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).”
However, several government agencies disagree with Wu’s proposals, Wang said, implying that his candidacy led to friction within the government.
Wu rejected the accusations and accused KMT members of running a “dirty campaign,” in which KMT Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) called him “a giant baby.”
KMT Culture and Communications Committee deputy director-general Huang Tzu-che (黃子哲) also weighed in, calling him a “pus-filled cyst,” a play on his given name in Chinese.
“This is a highly personal insult,” Wu said, referring to Huang’s comment. “It once more shows that the KMT does not respect the electorate ... I believe most voters cannot accept such talk.”
“In a democratic election, candidates should aspire to take the high road and show respect,” he said. “However, it is not possible for us to ask the opposition to refrain from personal attacks. It is up to the people to use their votes and chose a candidate who stands for good policies.”
Separately, Wu’s campaign office said in a statement that “KMT officials have engaged in personal attacks that go beyond what is appropriate.”
The words KMT officials used to describe Wu were “crass” and “vicious,” the statement said.
“Does KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) condone such actions? Or has the [KMT leadership] permitted party officials to engage in such personal attacks?” it asked.
SEND A MESSAGE: Sinking the amphibious assault ship, the lead warship of its class, is meant to show China the US Navy is capable of sinking their ships, an analyst said The US and allied navies plan to sink a 40,000-tonne ship at the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise to simulate defeating a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan. This year’s RIMPAC — the 29th iteration of the world’s largest naval exercise — involves the US, 28 partners, more than 25,000 personnel, 40 warships, three submarines and more than 150 aircraft operating in and around Hawaii from yesterday to Aug. 1, the US Navy said in a press release. The major components of the event include multidomain warfare exercises in multiship surface engagements, anti-submarine warfare and multi-axis defense of a carrier strike
Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China when traveling in countries with close ties to Beijing, Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said on Friday. Chen’s comments came after China on Friday last week announced new judicial guidelines targeting Taiwanese independence advocates. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Djibouti are among the countries where Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China, he said. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday elevated the travel alert for China, Hong Kong and Macau to “orange” after Beijing announced its guidelines to “severely punish Taiwanese independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession.” Extradition treaties
The airspace around Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to be closed for an hour on July 25 and July 23 respectively, due to the Han Kuang military exercises, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The annual exercise is to be held on Taiwan proper and its outlying islands from July 22 to 26. During last year’s exercise, the military conducted anti-aircraft landing drills at the Taoyuan airport for the first time, for which a one-hour no-fly ban was issued. Based on a live-fire bulletin sent out by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the nation’s
Taiwan and Thailand have signed an agreement to promote and protect bilateral investment and trade, the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) said on Friday. The agreement on “Promotion and Protection of Investments” was signed by Representative to Thailand Chang Chun-fu (張俊福) and Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei executive director Narong Boonsatheanwong on Thursday, the OTN said in a news release. Thailand has become the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since 2016, following earlier agreements with the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Canada, the OTN said. The deal marks a significant milestone in the development of