A group of 17 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators departed on Friday for China, saying before their flight that they believe the trip is the right decision despite criticism from the opposition.
The lawmakers led by KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) held a news conference at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 2:30pm before their flight.
They were met by protesters and supporters, with both sides holding placards either criticizing them for leaving amidst natural disasters or calling for cross-strait interaction.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
In addition to Fu, other members of the delegation include KMT legislators Chang Chih-lun (張智倫), Liao Hsien-hsiang (廖先翔), Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生), Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍), Huang Jen (黃仁), Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), Cheng Cheng-chien (鄭正鈐), Lin Chien-chi (林倩綺), Chiu Chen-chun (邱鎮軍), Yu Hao (游顥), Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥), Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), Sasuyu Ruljuwan and Sra Kacaw.
As the morning’s legislative procedures ended early, KMT legislators Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才) and Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) reportedly decided to join last minute.
Speaking to reporters at the legislature in the morning, Huang said that the party’s lawmakers had heard the public’s response to the trip, but decided that the people’s livelihood is the most important thing.
There should be positive interaction in cross-strait relations, he said.
Weng said she hopes to share Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products with “Chinese friends.”
There is no wrong time to promote economic exchange, she said, adding that if the Democratic Progressive Party would not do it, the KMT will.
Cheng said that the group has still not seen the itinerary, but trusts that Fu will organize it well.
He denied that they were sworn to secrecy, saying only that they did not ask many details.
Chen said that the main goal of the visit was to convey to China the desire for peace, resumption of tourism and promotion of cross-strait development.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
RISING TOURISM: A survey showed that tourist visits increased by 35 percent last year, while newly created attractions contributed almost half of the growth Changhua County’s Lukang Old Street (鹿港老街) and its surrounding historical area clinched first place among Taiwan’s most successful tourist attractions last year, while no location in eastern Taiwan achieved a spot in the top 20 list, the Tourism Administration said. The listing was created by the Tourism Administration’s Forward-looking Tourism Policy Research office. Last year, the Lukang Old Street and its surrounding area had 17.3 million visitors, more than the 16 million visitors for the Wenhua Road Night Market (文化路夜市) in Chiayi City and 14.5 million visitors at Tainan’s Anping (安平) historical area, it said. The Taipei 101 skyscraper and its environs —
Taiwan on Friday said a New Zealand hamburger restaurant has apologized for a racist remark to a Taiwanese customer after reports that it had first apologized to China sparked outrage in Taiwan. An image posted on Threads by a Taiwanese who ate at Fergburger in Queenstown showed that their receipt dated Sunday last week included the words “Ching Chang,” a racial slur. The Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch in a statement on Thursday said it had received and accepted an apology from the restaurant over the incident. The comment triggered an online furor among Taiwanese who saw it as an insult to the
RSS