Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Government must listen to people

Taipei Times Editorial

The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ rationale for electricity rate increases last year was that state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) needed the hikes to relieve its mounting debt. However, how should the nation make sense of Taipower’s remarks last week that it had no plan to lower its rates anytime soon, even though it might see its first profitable year since 2006 thanks to the recent fall in global crude oil prices?

Ko urges health release for Chen

Taipei Times

Taipei mayor-elect Ko Wen-je paints eyes on Japanese daruma dolls — used for good luck — at a thank-you event for campaign workers at his former election headquarters in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Independent Taipei mayor-elect Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday renewed his call for the release of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) due to his medical condition, adding that he will pay a visit to the imprisoned Chen before being sworn in later this month.

Ko emerges as possible leader for diplomacy

HoonTing 雲程

On Nov. 25, just days before the nine-in-one elections, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), expressed his expectation that independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) would recognize the so-called “1992 consensus” if he should win. Ko responded with a question long evaded by governments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait: “What are the details of the consensus?”

He went on to explain that he had paid frequent visits to China and knew China and Chinese people well.

Lu plans to visit Chen Shui-bian

Taipei Times

Following the announcement of her intention to visit imprisoned former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to mark International Human Rights Day on Wednesday next week, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday gave President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) an ultimatum — if he does not release Chen by Christmas Day, she would go on a hunger strike until Chen is released.

Chen is serving a 20-year term for accepting bribes during his eight-year presidency. Suffering from deteriorating health, Chen has not been granted amnesty or home care by Ma, despite repeated appeals by medical experts, human rights advocates and Chen’s supporters.

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