Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-03
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Tainan City Mayor William Lai said Saturday he would not attend
Tainan mayor to stay away from Double Ten. Central News Agency
the Double Ten National Day celebrations in Taipei next week, reports said Saturday.
The move follows the Democratic Progressive Party politician’s emphasis on his support for Taiwan Independence earlier in the week, leading commentators to speculate whether he is trying to distance himself from presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen’s advocacy of the status quo.
Later Saturday, Lai defended himself by saying he had overseen several Double Ten celebrations in Tainan City and that Taiwan was already independent under the name of Republic of China.
It was Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu who said Tsai should invite Lai along to the October 10 National Day events. It will be the first time in many years that the DPP leader will actually attend, though critics have said her move is inspired by the need to project a moderate image in the race for the January 16 presidential and legislative elections. [FULL STORY]
