Politics

Soong a ‘hired thug’ of authoritarian regimes: Shih

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 20, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

People First Party presidential candidate James Soong’s (宋楚瑜) advocacy of transitional justice is “shameless,” veteran activist and independent presidential candidate Shih Ming-te (施明德) said yesterday, adding that Soong was a former “hired thug” of authoritarian regimes.

“Where in the world does a perpetrator say that he would effect transitional justice and reconciliation,” Shih said, adding that Soong had invited “muckraking” with his promise to establish a presidential office for “transitional justice” if elected, which would investigate unresolved cases from the Martial Law era.

Having Soong offer to effect transitional justice was like asking a “demon” for a prescription, Shih said, calling Soong “shameless” and “detestable” for “parroting” Shih’s position, and promising to “stalk and expose” Soong if the PFP candidate was elected. [FULL STORY]

DPP welcomes exchanges with Chinese cities

Taiwan News
Date: 2015-08-19
By: Ko Lin, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The Democratic Progressive Party is willing to collaborate and forge closer city-to-city

DPP welcomes exchanges with Chinese cities. Central News Agency

ties following the wrap up of the two-day Shanghai-Taipei City Forum, an exchange of discussions held between Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je and the mayor of Shanghai, according to DDP Spokesperson Cheng Yun-peng on Wednesday.

When asked about the DPP’s view on the details of discussion held between the two mayors, Cheng refused to comment, however saying the party will respect whatever decision Ko makes.

According to Taipei City government spokesperson Sydney Lin, Ko lauded the event as a “completely successful forum,” which enabled both parties to deal with various issues facing the two cities.

Though the latest round of the two-city forum was not finalized until August 8, officials of the two cities managed to sign four memoranda of understanding, including mutual acceptance of the each other’s electronic IC cards. [FULL STORY]

Soong denies trying to steal other parties’ vote brokers

‘OLD FRIENDS’:Soong said that the vote brokers had campaigned for him as governor, as he drew on his vast network of municipal political contacts from that time

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 20, 2015
By: Liu Wan-chun and Yu Hsueh-lan / Staff reporters

People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday denied

People First Party presidential candidate James Soong yesterday chats with a 90-year-old former Tainan city councilor as he visits the city to stump for votes. Photo: CNA

that his recent string of visits to local dignitaries across the nation was aimed at bringing vote brokers for other parties into his fold, saying he was just trying “to catch up with some of his old friends.”

“These people served as the vote brokers in my campaign for Taiwan provincial governor [in 1994.] So technically, I am not bringing them into my fold, but rather bringing them back,” Soong said as he paid visits to former Tainan city council speakers, including Lien Ching-tai (連清泰) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Li He-shun (李和順) of the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union.

The politician also visited former Tainan county commissioner Lee Ya-chiao (李雅樵) of the KMT and the mother of former Tainan city council speaker Chou Ching-wen (周清文).

Soong was fervently greeted by local residents, among whom were former township councilors and borough wardens. [FULL STORY]

KMT’s Hung Hsiu-chu still undecided on US visit

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-19
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

The presidential candidate of Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang, Hung Hsiu-chu, said Tuesday

Hung Hsiu-chu gives a press conference at KMT headquarters in Taipei, Aug. 18. (File photo/CNA)

she has not yet decided whether to visit the United States before January’s election, adding that she will only talk about the issue after September.

Hung made the remarks when asked about an invitation extended by Taiwanese expatriates in the United States for her to attend a campaign rally scheduled for Aug. 29 in San Jose, California.

Whether Hung will visit the United States has drawn media attention as she has previously expressed reluctance to do so, even to the extent of pouring scorn on her opposition Democratic Progressive Party rival Tsai Ing-wen, whose successful US visit in June was dismissed by Hung as being like an unnecessary “job interview” that she herself did not wish to undertake.

Her stance was somewhat moderated after it became clear that the KMT leadership wished her to go to the US. [FULL STORY]

‘Youth group’ formed to promote Hung

PUNDITRY AT DAWN:The eight members of the group are to appear on political talk shows to defend the KMT candidate and her views as part of the younger generation

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 18, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱)

Eight people chosen by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu’s campaign team to defend Hung and her policies on talk shows yesterday pose during a news conference in Taipei. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

campaign office yesterday announced the organization of a small group of “young” people to defend and promote her campaign pledges on political talk shows.

Voices of young supporters of Hung have long been underestimated on such shows, the office said.

“These young defenders, who were born in the 1970s and the 1980s, aim to shatter the public’s traditional perception of how the KMT runs an election,” Hung campaign office spokesman Lee Chang-chi (李昶志) told a news conference in Taipei.

Chanting “Chu [Hung] has young people’s backs and young people have hers,” the eight members of the group, clad in different colored shirts, told the news conference that the various colors signified the diversity of opinions of younger generations. [FULL STORY]

Greens, Social Democrats to cooperate

LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS:Leaders of the two parties said it took six months to agree to collaborate. However, they have yet to draft a joint platform or draw up their slate

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 18, 2015
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

The Green Party Taiwan and Social Democratic Party (SDP) yesterday said they would

Green Party Taiwan convener Lee Ken-cheng, left, and Social Democratic Party convener Fan Yun yesterday pose at a news conference in Taipei after announcing plans to field a joint slate of at-large candidates in January’s legislative elections.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times

register a “Green-SDP Alliance” party with the Ministry of the Interior to field a joint slate of at-large candidates in January’s legislative elections.

Green Party conveners Lee Ken-cheng (李根政) and Chang Yu-ching (張育憬) shook hands with SDP convener Fan Yun (范雲) at a press conference in Taipei after signing a memorandum of understanding.

Legislative candidates from the two parties stood together promising to “fight together to win for the people.” [FULL STORY]

DPP whip Ker defends the use of cross-party negotiations to resolve deadlocks

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 17, 2015
By: Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) yesterday defended the use of cross-party negotiations, which are often criticized for being non-transparent, as a necessary tool with a legal basis to facilitate political communication.

“Cross-party negotiation is actually regulated by Article 68 of the Act Governing the Exercise of Legislative Power (立法院職權行使法), and, while many people call it ‘secret chamber negotiation,’ there are actually quite a lot of people in the ‘secret chamber’ when a cross-party negotiation takes place,” Ker said during a talk with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) at an event for National Hsinchu Senior High School alumni. Both men are alumni of the school. [FULL STORY]

Chen Chu named head of DPP presidential campaign HQ

Want China Times
Date: 2015-08-13
By: CNA and Staff Reporter

The leader and presidential candidate of Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic

Chen Chu. (Photo/Wang Ying-hao)

Progressive Party, Tsai Ing-wen, announced Wednesday that the DPP Central Standing Committee has designated Chen Chu, the incumbent mayor of Kaohsiung, as chair of the party’s presidential campaign headquarters.

Hailing Chen’s vital role in the party and her impressive performance as Kaohsiung mayor since 2006, Tsai said Chen has participated in all the critical events in Taiwan’s journey to democracy. She said she expects that the DPP presidential campaign will be well integrated under Chen’s leadership.

The 65-year-old Chen is in her third term as Kaohsiung mayor, having won re-election in November last year. Enjoying high popularity, especially among DPP party members, she is deemed to have the best performance record among the heads of Taiwan’s six special municipalities, according to a survey released May 28 by local magazine Global Views Monthly. [FULL STORY]

Some KMT lawmakers fret over Soong

SINGING THE BLUES:Fears of a repeat of the 2000 presidential election have made some legislators nervous, but Hung Hsiu-chu said she would remain the KMT candidate

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 10, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

Several Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators have raised concerns over People

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu, second right, KMT Legislator Alex Fai, right, and others burn incense at Sung Shan Tsu Huei Temple in Taipei’s Xinyi District yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong’s (宋楚瑜) entry into January’s presidential election, fearing that it could hurt the KMT’s presidential campaign and prompt more party members to jump ship.

“Soong’s candidacy could deal a direct blow to the KMT because a divided pan-blue camp would give the Democratic Progressive Party an edge in the election,” KMT Legislator Lu Chia-chen (盧嘉辰) said.

The last thing he wants to see is a repeat of the predicament faced by pan-blue supporters in 2000 when Soong ran for president as an independent candidate after failing to obtain the KMT’s nomination.

Soong’s entry into the 2000 election and his departure from the KMT played a decisive role in former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) being elected as the nation’s first non-KMT directly elected president. [FULL STORY]

PFP presidential candidate Soong takes aim at KMT

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 08, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter

People First Party (PFP) presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday struck

People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong, right, speaks about his presidential candidacy with radio show host Clara Chou in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

back at the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) over its criticism of his presidential bid, saying he is neither a person crippled by a dismal support rating after eight years in the office, nor someone who forcibly expropriated people’s private property to benefit large corporations.

Soong made the remarks yesterday morning during an interview with Hit FM radio host Clara Chou (周玉蔻) in response to an accusation on Thursday by the KMT that he is derived from former president Chiang Ching-kuo’s (蔣經國) spirit.

“Chiang’s spirit contained two parts: cross-strait policies and domestic policies. The former emphasized that he was both a Chinese and a Taiwanese, and that he would not turn his back on the Zhonghua minzu [Chinese ethnic group, 中華民族], nor walk away from his responsibility to Taiwanese,” Soong said.

As for his domestic policies, Chiang attached great importance to economic development, but at the same time, he also stressed the importance of justice in wealth distribution, added Soong, who served as a personal English translator for Chiang.

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