Politics

Taiwan’s heavy metal star rallies fans to run for parliament on anti-China platform

Freddy Lim, singer with black metal group Chthonic, is standing for a fast-growing pro-democracy party

The Guardian
Date: 26 December 2015 Share on Google+
By: Tracy McVeigh

Freddy Lim rocks the crowds in Liberty Square, Taipei. Photograph: Handerson Yao for the Observer

For many in the city of Taipei and across Taiwan, it was the most hotly awaited event of the year. Tens of thousands of music fans gathered in Liberty Square on Saturday night for an extraordinary free concert which marked the 20th anniversary of Chthonic, the country’s most famous heavy metal band.

Wearing combat boots, lead singer Freddy Lim held the stage with the brand of music that has seen the Taiwanese “black metal” band dubbed the Black Sabbath of Asia.

But this was not just any gig: it was also a political rally ahead of a crucial year for Taiwan. Described as a “concert to calm the soul and defend the nation”, the event was intended to energise Taiwanese youth and gain political support for Lim’s new role – as a parliamentary candidate for the New Power party (NPP). [FULL STORY]

Vice presidential debate ‘disappointing’: observer

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/26
By: Lung Pei-ning and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) An observer expressed disappointment Saturday at the performances of the three vice presidential candidates in a televised debate held earlier that day.

Wang Tai-li (王泰俐), director of the Graduate Institute of Journalism at National Taiwan University, noted that Wang Ju-hsuan (王如玄) on the Kuomintang ticket is an eloquent speaker because she is a lawyer, and Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on the Democratic Progressive Party ticket is also good at debating, while Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩) on the People First Party (PFP) ticket is a legislator and chairwoman of the Minkuotang party.

The performances of the three candidates, however, were not as impressive as they could have been, Wang Tai-li said. One problem is that the candidates referred to their drafts too often, she said. She said Hsu did not directly answer questions put to her and sometimes even refused to respond, on the grounds that she considered the question “illogical.” [FULL STORY]

Ko says not worried over possible probe on budget

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 27, 2015
By: Sean Lin / Staff reporter

Faced with a possible Control Yuan investigation over the Taipei City

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, center right, yesterday sings at an outdoor concert in Taipei organized by metal band Chthonic, whose lead singer, Freddy Lim, center left, is running as a New Power Party legislative candidate.
Photo: Chung Hung-liang, Taipei Times

Government’s improper use of its public housing budget, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said that he would not worry too much about being investigated, and that being probed by the agency during his time as a physician actually helped him become Taipei mayor.

Ko made the remark at a forum in New Taipei City’s Yonghe District (永和), where he discussed with legislative candidates his political beliefs and possibilities of improving collaborations between the two municipalities.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chen Yung-te (陳永德) on Friday said that the KMT Taipei City Council caucus would file a report with the Control Yuan concerning the city government’s inappropriate use of funds, which it said totaled NT$15 million (US$454,476), and ask that Ko be probed.

The city government’s unauthorized use of the fund was illegal and disdainful, Chen said. [FULL STORY]

FEATURE: Candidates court voters with merchandise

ATTENTION-GRABBING:One election hopeful is handing out condoms and sanitary pads bearing puns on their packages to make sure that voters remember her name

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 27, 2015
By: Chung Hung-liang, Hsieh Chia-chun, Yeh Kuan-yu and Jona / Staff reporters, with staff writer

In the run-up to next month’s legislative elections, candidates in Taipei are

People First Party legislative candidate Vivian Huang holds up a promotional bag during a campaign event in Taipei on Dec. 12. Photo: Liang Pei-chi, Taipei Times

frantically distributing campaign memorabilia — from crackers to condoms — in an attempt to build name recognition.

In many contested districts, “third force” and independent candidates, as well as candidates from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), are seeking to advertize their campaigns, particularly to young voters, with novelty merchandise and memorabilia items.

Miao Po-ya (苗博雅), the Green Party-Social Democratic Party Alliance’s legislative candidate for Taipei’s eighth electoral district, tapped into social outrage by printing stickers supporting a boycott of Ting Hsin International Group, in addition to stickers supporting marriage equality.

To emphasize Miao’s support for food safety, campaign staffers distributed I-Mei Foods soda crackers — a corporation perceived as a socially conscious and a safe alternative to Ting Hsin. [FULL STORY]

Running mates tackle public queries

CALL FOR REFORM:All three candidates emphasized the need for improving the legislature, but shied away from committing to an overhaul of the election system

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 27, 2015
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

Six questions selected by drawing lots from a pool of queries submitted by

Police gather outside SET-TV’s premises, the venue for the televised vice presidential debate between the candidates from the People First Party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party, in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei

members of the public through online media platform Watchout (沃草) were directed at the three vice presidential candidates during the second part of the presidential debate yesterday.

The first question asked if the candidates agreed with a proposal that the Legislative Yuan should elect one-fourth of its legislators every year.

Republican Party Chairperson Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩) — People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong’s (宋楚瑜) running mate — said she would suggest electing half of the legislators every two years, adding that people in the system are more important, because conflict between political parties is the primary reason for low legislative efficiency. [FULL STORY]

PFP’s Soong pledges to restore pride, dignity to Taiwan (update)

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/25
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) James Soong (宋楚瑜), the chairman and presidential candidate of the People First Party (PFP), vowed in a televised presentation of the candidates’ platforms to enable Taiwanese people to live with pride and dignity and feel safe.

Soong said he would achieve that, if elected, by adhering to four principles — emphasizing security and safety; insisting on Taiwan’s sovereignty; respecting the unique characteristics of different ethnic groups; and stressing fairness under the law.

Soong also stressed the importance of maintaining the peace between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and the close relations between peoples on the two sides. [FULL STORY]

Mock vote sees youth elect DPP

POPULAR:‘Third force’ parties are grabbing the attention of young Taiwanese who, although they cannot legally vote, are pushing to be heard by hosting an online ‘vote’

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 26, 2015
By: Su Fang-ho and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A mock election held by two youth advocacy groups found that 61 percent of

Taiwan Alliance for the Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare secretary-general Yeh Ta-hua, second left, displays the results of a mock election at a press conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

participants support the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the presidential election, the organizers said yesterday.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) received 17.7 percent of the “votes,” while the People First Party’s (PFP) cross-party ticket with the Republican Party received 13.6 percent, the Taiwan Alliance for the Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare, and the Alliance for Promoting Civic Rights of 18-year-olds said.

The results of the simulated vote were similar to polls conducted by mainstream media, Taiwan Alliance for the Advancement of Youth Rights and Welfare secretary-general Yeh Ta-hua (葉大華) said. [FULL STORY]

KMT called to account for assets handling amid suspicion

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-12-24
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Wang Ming-sheng

KMT called to explain assets amid suspicion.

Thursday called for ruling KMT to account for its recent handling of part assets amid vote-buying suspicion.

According to a recent Supreme Prosecutors Office news release, the office has received a total of more than 800 vote-buying cases, which shows vote-buying has been more serious this year than past years, Wang said.

Wang suspected that KMT will try to win the elections by fair means or foul under the adverse socioeconomic situation.

Judging from KMT’s declaration of election expenses over the years, political donations only accounted for a small percentage of the expenses, Wang said, adding that the rest must have come from its party assets. [FULL STORY]

Tsai, Chu, Soong accused of kowtowing to business

VESTED INTERESTS:The three presidential candidates are surrendering leadership of their parties to big businesses which are attempting to enslave workers, Chang Li-fun said

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 23, 2015
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

The Green Party-Social Democratic Party Alliance yesterday

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)Legislator Lee Ying-yuan, center, attempts to placate members of labor rights groups outside the Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

condemned the three presidential candidates for agreeing to be “interviewed” by a coalition of seven industry and commerce organizations, saying the candidates are siding with business leaders to the detriment of workers’ rights.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday spoke at an economic development forum organized by the seven organizations in Taipei, with People First Party presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) to speak at a forum staged by the organization today and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) to attend a forum held by the organization on Tuesday next week.

While Tsai said yesterday’s meeting was not an interview, but an exchange of opinions, the alliance was not mollified. [FULL STORY]

DPP’s Tsai promises ‘no provocation, no surprise’ China policy

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/12/22
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Lilian Wu

Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and front-running presidential candidate in next month’s elections, said Tuesday that Taiwan needs stable cross-Taiwan Strait relations and that her cross-strait policy will be “communication, no provocation, no surprises, as well as continued safeguarding of cross-strait stability.”

Meeting business leaders in an economic forum, Tsai stressed that “maintaining the status quo” will be the cornerstone of her cross-strait policy if she is elected. [FULL STORY]

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