Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Standing up to big business

Taipei Times Editorial

The nation’s biggest headline-grabber over the past few days has been the head-to-head confrontation between Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and Hon Hai Group chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) over the controversy involving the Syntrend Creative Park project in the capital.

Amid accusations by media pundits that there might have been corruption involved in the bidding procedure for an underground parking lot won by a Hon Hai subsidiary, Gou spent more than NT$3 million (US$95,100) on newspaper advertisements on Monday demanding that the city government make public all documents related to the bid within 48 hours or it would cease construction on the site.

Taipei mayor slams Hon Hai newspaper adverts and threats

Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je speaks to reporters in Taipei yesterday, saying that the Taipei City Government will not accept threats from corporations after Hon Hai stopped construction of the Syntrend Creative Park.
Photo: CNA

The Taipei City Government will not accept threats from corporations, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday after Hon Hai Group (鴻海集團) stopped construction of the Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區).

“I strongly disagree with spending millions in advertisements to send a message to the city government,” Ko said. “The city government will not take threats from corporations.”

Beijing’s muzzle on the HK media

Chung Ming-lun and Adrian Chiu 鍾明倫，趙致洋

In the post-Umbrella movement era, Beijing is seemingly turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to Hong Kongers’ demands — relentlessly suppressing their basic human rights — and forcing them to express solidarity with China.

This can be seen in the most recent policy address of Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s (梁振英) administration, which not only ignored Hong Kongers’ plea for genuine democracy, but also criticized students and the pan-democracy camp for advocating Hong Kong independence.

Taipei Dome contract is ‘ridiculous’: Ko Wen-je

Taipei Times

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je in this file photo taken in Taipei on Wednesday, said he will speak to Farglory chairman Chao Teng-hsiung next week.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times

The Taipei City Government’s current contract with Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) for the construction of the Taipei Dome is “ridiculous,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

“I think this contract is simply ridiculous,” Ko said. “How could it be possible to draft a contract that we have absolutely no way of defending?”

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