Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

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.

DPP urges A-bian parole for his, society’s sake

Taipei Times

The government must grant medical parole to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), not only for the sake of protecting his rights, but for the sake of social stability, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday.

“Since former president Chen Shui-bian’s health is failing, the DPP calls on President Ma Ying-jeou [馬英九] to respect the assessments of medical professionals and grant him medical parole, so he may receive appropriate treatment at home,” DPP spokesperson Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) said yesterday. “By granting Chen medical parole, Ma would be acting in accordance with the two international human rights covenants that he signed, and which the legislature adopted as law.”

KMT needs to change its mindset

Taipei Times Editorial

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday officially resigned as chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to take responsibility for the party’s crushing defeat in Saturday’s elections.

The guessing game has started on who will be elected as the new party leader, with speculation rife among political observers over the reshuffle of power within the party and conjecture as to how the new lineup may affect the party’s prospects in the 2016 presidential election. However, whoever KMT members decide to elect as their new leader is their business; after all, revitalizing the party’s standing among Taiwanese does not depend so much on who is elected, but what mindset the new leader will bring to the helm of the party.

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