DPP optimistic about Taichung election chances

CHANGHUA DEAL?The party visited the father of an independent hopeful in the county to discuss a partnership, but said it still thinks its candidate can win
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said it was cautiously optimistic about the Greater Taichung mayoral election in November, with the party’s candidate, DPP Legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), leading incumbent Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) by almost 20 percentage points in the party’s latest survey.

“In a poll conducted by the DPP three days ago, Lin enjoyed a comfortable lead of 48 percent to Hu’s 29 percent. Moreover, 45.3 percent of respondents favored Lin as the winner, with only 29.6 percent picking Hu, who is seeking re-election,” DPP spokesperson Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) said.

Hualien County Government faces road race questions

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

A lawmaker and a Hualien County Councilor of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday questioned the Hualien County Government over permission it granted for a road race event to a private firm for a maximum of 30 years, saying the move is an abuse of administrative power.

The Executive Yuan’s Public Construction Commission said on June 5 that the county government had violated the principle of proportionality after the county recently allowed a private firm to stage the event for 15 years, with a conditional extension of the contract for another 15 years, DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) and Hualien County Councilor Liu Hsiao-mei (劉曉玫) of the DPP told a press conference.

Lee Teng-hui concludes round-the-nation journey

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday concluded his round-the-nation trip with a final stop in Yilan County, saying that his final wish was to visit Yushan (玉山), the highest mountain in Taiwan.

“I’ve asked my doctor about [visiting Yushan] and was told that such trip would not be recommended due to my health condition. I’m hoping that my ashes can be scattered on top of Yushan after I die,” said the 90-year-old in Yilan. “Being buried on Yushan would mean that I would be with Taiwan forever.”

Cities, counties urge fair budgets

SPECIAL:Commissioner Helen Chang said the special municipalities would be given 5.07 times more debt capacity than other cities if a Public Debt Act amendment passed
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Commissioners and mayors of seven cities and counties yesterday signed a joint letter demanding that the central government adjust its loan capacity structure and debt ceiling limits so that local governments can avoid potential bankruptcy, amid a proposed amendment to the Public Debt Act (公共債務法).

Led by Chiayi County Commissioner Helen Chang (張花冠), the seven cities and counties urged the central government to increase the debt limit for 16 cities and counties, excluding the five special municipalities, from 1.43 percent of the average GDP of the previous three years, to 2.63 percent.

Tourism industry urges action on Suhua Highway

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Members of the tourism industry in eastern Taiwan yesterday called for immediate action by the government to improve the transportation situation and relieve their imminent loss of business from the closure of the Suhua Highway.

A section of the Suhua Highway between Suao (蘇澳) and Tongao (東澳) was closed on Saturday after a road collapsed because of heavy rain, resulting in mass cancellations of hotel reservations for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Lawmaker pushes east coast ferry plan

ALL ABOARD?：While the Hualien DPP representative said the cost of such a transport link are potentially prohibitive, the region is desperately in need of a new service
By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter
Mon, Sep 10, 2012 - Page 3

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said she hopes that a proposal to establish a sea lane transportation route along the east coast would resolve the decades-long traffic issue which has plagued the region’s residents.

Hsiao plans to propose the establishment of a sea lane connecting Suao (蘇澳), Yilan County and Hualien by ferry to ease the current railway ticket shortage and also to cut the commute people have to endure when traveling by highway.

DPP lawmaker calls for more research on critical issues

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

Systematic research and policy formulation on critical issues such as free-trade agreements (FTA) are important for Taiwan and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), according to DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴).

“We talk about [signing] FTAs all the time, but the first question we have to ask is why we need them and whether we are prepared to deal with the impact of the free trade system,” Hsiao said in a recent interview with the Taipei Times.

Not only President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who has pledged to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) within eight years, and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) have failed to address the issue, she said, but the DPP has also been guilty of not really addressing the issue.

AEC, Taipower deny nuclear waste plan

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) and Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) yesterday denied allegations that Sioulin Township (秀林), Hualien County, had been selected as a location for nuclear waste storage.

The denial came after Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said at a press conference that Taipower had been drilling holes in the eastern township in preparation for the work.

DPP says CPC Corp, Taiwan bent regulations

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

A folk ritual event sponsored by CPC Corp, Taiwan, in Hualien County in December was used as a campaign event for a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidate, which could constitute a violation of election law, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator said yesterday, vowing to file a lawsuit.

State-owned CPC provided NT$200,000 to sponsor a religious ceremony organized by Cheng An Temple in Sincheng Township (新城), Hualien County, on Dec. 15, but the ceremony was used to campaign for KMT candidate Timothy Wang (王廷升) and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), DPP Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a press conference in Taipei.

2012 ELECTIONS: REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: Tsai seeks the hearts of voters on east coast

EVERY VOTE COUNTS:：Tsai’s team said that her tour of communities that traditionally vote for the KMT, and to Orchid Island, shows the difference between her and Ma Ying-jeou
By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter
Sat, Nov 05, 2011 - Page 3

Perhaps the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) election campaign could have afforded to pay less attention to the counties of Hualien and Taitung, which, along with Yilan, cover the entire coast of eastern Taiwan.

From the perspective of securing votes, this massive rural area — which has a population of just 570,000, slightly more than New Taipei City’s (新北市) perennial Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) stronghold of Banciao (板橋) — probably matters little more than the outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu.

2012 ELECTIONS: Tsai ‘pleased’ with progress

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter, in HUALIEN CITY

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday in Hualien County that she was pleased with the operation and progress of her presidential campaign

Tsai made the remark in response to criticism from Hung Chih-kun (洪智坤), a member of the DPP’s Central Executive Committee, who said Tsai’s campaign was “out of sync” and has crowded out several party heavyweights.

2012 ELECTIONS: Tsai’s campaign set to motor through the east coast

By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is scheduled to embark upon a two-day presidential campaign trip today to the eastern counties of Hualien and Taitung.

She plans to visit the two counties straddling the Pacific Ocean with a combined coastline of more than 370km, as well as Orchid Island (蘭嶼) — also known as Lanyu — off Taiwan proper.

Taiwanese runners shine in Taroko Gorge marathon

2010/11/06 19:50:56
Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) Taiwan's Chiang Chieh-wen and Lee Hsiao-yu won the men's and women's golds in the 2010 Taroko Gorge Marathon held in one of Taiwan's most popular scenic spots Saturday.

Chiang surprised Kenyan runner James Meli to win the men's marathon in 2 hours 27 minutes 41 seconds, while Lee, a member of the Taiwan women's triathlon team, took women's gold in 3 hours 9 minutes 3 seconds.

The annual competition was held in the spectacular Taroko Gorge in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County. The national park is considered a must see by domestic and international tourists for its high mountains and sheer gorges.

To the surprise of organizer Chinese Taipei Road Running Association, more than 8,000 runners, around 95 percent of those registered, participated in the event despite closure of the Suhua Highway following typhoon-induced heavy rains and landslides in October.

The highway is the only direct road between Taipei and Hualien, and visiting the county has been difficult since then.

Running for the fist time in the Taroko Gorge event, Chiang was surprised at his victory, but suspected Meli was not in top form due to jet lag and late arrival in Taiwan. Meli won silver in 2 hours 34 minutes 43 seconds, while Taiwan's Ho Chih-fung finished third in 2 hours 38 minutes 31 seconds.

Lee took advantage of the absence of defending women's champion Esther Mutuku of Kenya, who was forced to withdraw from the event when a Kenyan airport closed due to heavy rain.

Japanese runners took silver and bronze in the women's event, with Matsui Kazuha finishing second in 3 hours 13 minutes 24 seconds and Yamaguchi Mitsu third in 3 hours 17 minutes 19 seconds. (By Chris Wang) enditem/MH

Supporters send new signal to KMT in by-election defeats: scholars

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) Supporters of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) sent a new signal of discontent to the party Saturday, when the KMT managed to win only one of four legislative by-elections, scholars said later that day.

The ruling party suffered a fresh setback after losing in Taoyuan County, Hsinchu County and Chiayi County, with its only victory coming in Hualien County. The by-elections were held because local lawmakers that previously held the seats were elected to serve as county magistrates.

The KMT's supporters sent a clear message by not turning up at polling stations, said Lin Huo-wang, a professor at National Taiwan University who also serves as senior advisor to President Ma Ying-jeou.

"It (the defeat) tells President Ma, who doubles as KMT chairman, that he should stop trying to woo voters from the opposition Pan-green camp. A political party will not be able to hold its core support if it drifts further away from its ideals, " Lin said.

The low turnout rate and crushing election results are evidence that the party's supporters staged a "silent protest" by not voting, said Lo Chih-cheng, a political scientist at Soochow University.

The KMT lost three other legislative by-elections last month and also did not fare well in any of the five elections that have taken place since Ma assumed office in May 2008. The main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) , on the other hand, has gained more ground thanks to the elections, boosting its number of seats in the 113-member Legislative Yuan from 30 to 33.

At a post-election press conference, KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung conceded defeat for the party but pledged continued reforms, saying that introspection is vital for the party if it wants to win back support in future elections.

The candidate nominations were the key reason behind the defeat, according to legislator-turned-television pundit Jaw Shao-kong, who noted that the KMT neither placed local politicians at the top of the nomination lists nor went with the momentum during the nomination process.

"You have to go with the flow rather than trying to create the specific momentum of your desire, " he pointed out, adding that the KMT needs to find a way to "stop bleeding." The KMT's nomination strategy presented mixed messages, Lo said, because it went with a candidate like Wang Ting-sheng, a university professor who narrowly beat the DPP's Hsiao Bi-khim in Hualien, but compromised with local factions and nominated Cheng Yung-tang in Hsinchu, where he ended up losing.

He noted that the KMT has been having trouble "turning the game around" and said the momentum could cause a ripple effect that will negatively impact its prospects in five special municipality elections at the end of the year that are considered even more important than the two recent legislative by-elections.

"It seems to me that more white-collar workers and middle-class people are supporting the opposition. And bear in mind that there are more voters like this in the five special municipalities, " he said.

There is no such place as a "stronghold" nowadays in Taiwanese elections, Jaw said, because voters are no longer fooled by politicians and political parties.

Parties gear up for final push to Feb. 27 legislative by-elections

Taipei, Feb. 20 (CNA) Taiwan's ruling and main opposition parties wasted no time during the nine-day Lunar New Year break to make a final push for the four legislative by-elections that will take place next Saturday, races that both parties see as must-wins.

President Ma Ying-jeou, who doubles as chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT), spent his holiday campaigning for KMT candidates in the four electoral districts at stake, desperate to reverse a slump that has seen the party lose all three legislative by-elections on Jan. 9 and perform poorly in county and city government elections on Dec. 5, 2009.

The latest polls suggest it will not be an easy task because opposition Democratic Progressive Party candidates are running strong in the four electoral districts, in Taoyuan, Chiayi, Hsinchu, and Hualien counties, and the KMT is split in two of them.

Yet DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, who was also on the campaign trail in the four areas during the New Year's break, said the elections will be "a tough battle" because three of the four districts have been traditional KMT strongholds.

But the DPP has momentum on its side, fueled by the government's low approval ratings.

The DPP won the three seats contested in Taoyuan, Taichung and Taitung counties last month to boost its seat total in the Legislative Yuan to 30, more than the one-quarter of the body's 113 seats needed to be able to launch motions to amend the Constitution or recall the president.

Another sweep Feb. 27 would further boost its status after it suffered humiliating defeats in the 2008 legislative and presidential elections and would put it in prime position for the five special municipality elections to be contested late this year.

Ma and his right-hand man King Pu-tsung, the KMT's secretary-general, have stressed in rallies how critical the by-elections are for the party. Regardless of the outcome, the KMT will still control a healthy majority in the legislature, but it clearly wants some electoral success to boost its flagging confidence ahead of the end-of-year mayoral races.

They have also stressed the importance of "consolidation, " especially needed in Taoyuan and Hualien counties, where several KMT members have entered the contests as independent candidates and could draw support away from the party's official nominees.

In Taoyuan, KMT candidate Apollo Chen faces DPP rival Huan Jen-shu and two former KMT memebers, Lin Siang-mei and Wu Yu-tung.

In Hualien, KMT candidate Wang Ting-sheng not only has to face the DPP's Hsiao Bi-khim, who has no connection to the eastern county but has made great strides since the campaign began.

He also must deal with the challenge from Shih Sheng-lan, a former KMT member entered as an independent who has the backing of incumbent Hualien County Magistrate Fu Kun-chi.

Fu, also a former KMT member, won the race for county magistrate in December with 56 percent of the vote as an independent against two other candidates, one of them the KMT』s official nominee. In the Chiayi County race, DPP candidate Chen Ming-wen enjoys an advantage as the southern county's previous magistrate and its traditional status as a DPP stronghold. But the KMT said last week its candidate Lin Teh-jui has pulled even.

According to the National Cheng Chi University's Swarchy market prediction Web site (http: //nccu.swarchy.org) , which uses a stock market mechanism for members to predict results of future events and has enjoyed relative success in predicting Taiwan's election outcomes in the past, the DPP is ahead in three of four races being contested.

Local township returns to indigenous name after 50 years

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) The name Sanmin Township is history, the indigenous town in Kaohsiung County having been officially renamed Namasiya Township Tuesday to mark a new beginning on the first day of the year and the end of 50 years of conforming to a transplanted name.

Sanmin Township became the first indigenous town to reassume an indigenous name after the township council unanimously agreed to change the township name to Namasiya in December 2007. More towns are expected to follow its lead, said Icyang Parod, Chairman of Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP).

Persons from the Bunun tribe account for 70 percent of the population, which also includes individuals from the Tsou, Paiwan and Atayal tribes, as well as a few Hoklos and Hakkas. In the 1950s, the Kuomintang (KMT) regime changed the name of the town from Maya to Sanmin, a name derived from KMT founder Sun Yat-sun's Three Principles of the People.

The name rectification is in line with appeals from the indigenous movement as well as the "New Partnership between the Indigenous Peoples and the Government of Taiwan" treaty signed by President Chen Shui-bian in 1999 and reaffirmed in 2002, Icyang said.

The treaty undertakes to restore the traditional names of indigenous tribes and lands, he said, adding that the CIP will offer assistance and funding to townships applying for name rectification.

Namasiya is a southern Tsou indigenous name for the Nanzihsian River, a major river that flows from the Mount Jade, said Husong Istanda, Mayor of the Namasiya Township.

The Namasiya case is expected to inspire other indigenous towns to follow suit, Icyang said, noting that Sioulin Township in Hualien County submitted a plan to rename itself "Taroko Township" in December 2007.

"In fact, there are many indigenous towns in Taiwan with names unrelated to the indigenous language or culture of their inhabitants. For example, Fusing Township in Taoyuan County, Heping Township in Taichung County, Renai Township and Sinyi Township in Nantou County, Datong Township in Yilan County, and Gwangfu Township in Hualien County, " Icyang said.

Citizens and cultural workers of Sanmin Township have long questioned the political ideology behind the renaming of their village, but didn't start pushing to rectify the name until June 2007, Icyang said.

At first the town council planned to rename the township Maya, its original name before the KMT era, before settling on Namasiya.

Traveling U.S. basketball team to visit Taiwan next month

Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) A traveling basketball team from the United States, known for its "show basketball"-style entertainment, will visit Taiwan next month and stage five exhibition games in five cities around the island, organizers said Tuesday.

The Harlem Wizards will play five exhibition games from Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2008 in Taipei, Miaoli, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hualien to showcase their theatrical style and basketball tricks, said Vic Liu of the main organizer Bravo Communications.

The touring basketball team, which was established in 1962 and comprised of street basketball players, is well-known for its basketball show and tricks, rather than playing competition basketball. It has traveled all around the U.S. and five continents over its 46 years and played in more than 6,000 games, Liu said.

The team will be led by Arnold Bernard, nicknamed "A-Train, " the 165 cm tall guard best known for his dribbling skills. Bernard, 38, was also featured in a sneaker manufacturer Nike's "freestyle" theme commercial.

BIENNIAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL PROMOTED

Taipei, June 20 (CNA) A biennial international children's television and film festival that will be held next April officially launched its promotion drive and began receiving film submissions from all over the world, festival organizers said Wednesday at a press conference.

The third Taiwan International Children's TV & Film Festival will be held April 4-8, 2008 in Taipei, said Hu Yuan-huei, president of Public Television Service (PTS) , the main organizer. Submissions will be accepted until Oct. 31.

So far, Hu said, there have been submissions from Taiwan, India, Sweden, Germany, France, the U.S. and the Philippines vying for six awards -- best dramatic feature, best animation, best documentary, best TV program, Taiwan award and special jury prize.

This event has been trying to find a balance between "adults' perspective and children's height, " said Wang Gun-yu, curator of the festival.

The festival was previously held in 2004 and 2006 and received more than 230 entries each time, Hu said, adding that the organizers expect a record-breaking number of entries for the next one.

The five-day event features screenings, side events and exhibitions, and "Kids as Directors" workshops for teachers and students to learn about filmmaking, in addition to awards with cash prizes.

Ma Chih-hsiang, a young actor making his first attempt at filmmaking, became the first local entry in the category of best dramatic feature with a film titled "Wish of the 10-year-old Dina, " the story of a young Bunun girl in Hualien.

"I tried to reveal the social status and problems of the indigenous people, and at the same time reverse local people's bias against indigenous people, " said Ma, who is also an aborigine.

PTS also announced 10 nominees for the "Kids as Directors" workshop in the press conference. The nominees were selected out of more than 40 project entries, said Lin Leh-chyun, director of the PTS International Department.

All the winning projects will be assisted with production resources from PTS when the filmmaking begins and will be screened during the festival, Lin said.

JAPAN'S YONAGUNI ISLAND TO SET UP BRANCH OFFICE IN HUALIEN

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) Yonaguni Island of Japan's Okinawa Prefecture will set up a branch office in the eastern Taiwan city of Hualien Tuesday with the goal of improving the island's ties with its sister city on all fronts and facilitating more cooperation, Yonaguni city officials said Monday in a press conference in Taipei.

Yonaguni Island, Japan's westernmost point at the end of the Ryukyu Islands chain, lies only 111 km east of Hualien and had extensive exchanges with Hualien before World War II. As Taiwan was no longer a Japan territory after the war, exchanges between both sides became limited.

It became the first Japanese city and the second Japanese local government to set up a branch office in Taiwan, following Okinawa Prefecture, which has established an office in Taipei City.

"As an outlying island, we have been dealing with difficulties in local development for many years. Japan has entered an age of `decentralization' as each local autonomy is required to develop identity, self governance and creativity for its own prosperity, " Yonaguni Mayor Hokama Syukichi said.

Hokama said Yonaguni seeks to boost its cooperation with Hualien due to their proximity.

Hokama led a delegation including City Council Speaker Sakihara Sonkichi, Deputy Speaker Maenisihara Takezou, three councilors and office staff that will attend the inauguration ceremony Tuesday.

Hokama and Hualien Mayor Tsai Chi-ta signed a cooperation agreement in October last year in which both sides agreed to collaborate on economic exchanges, tourism promotion and emergency relief. The most important aspect for the 1,700 residents of the island will be direct flights, shipping lines and fishing cooperation, Hokama said.

"On sunny days, you can see Taiwan's coastline from Yonaguni Island, " said Ma Chuan-sheng, an 82-year-old Hualien native who volunteered to help with the exchange project. By improving mutual cooperation, Ma said, Yonaguni residents will be able to check into hospitals in Hualien in emergencies.

In April 2005, the Yonaguni city council passed a resolution stating that the island sought to devote itself to its own development by more cooperation with neighboring countries such as Taiwan.

Later, when its plan to set up a "national border exchange special zone" was rejected by the Japanese government, more radical solutions were discussed by locals, including declaring independence, pushing the island into the limelight.

The Japanese government has since softened its stance by agreeing to provide needed help in the exchange project, Hokama added.