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Taiwan VP Lai Ching-te’s sympathy letter to Japan published
Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te’s letter expressing sympathy to Japan for the Noto Peninsula earthquake was published in the Hokkoku Newspaper on February 1. Lai’s message, along with a similar one from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, emphasized Taiwan’s willingness to assist in the relief and recovery efforts. Lai mentioned that the Taiwanese government promptly offered aid, including a contribution of 60 million Japanese yen, while private donations from Taiwan have reached 2.5 billion yen. Lai also paid tribute to Yoichi Hatta, an engineer from Ishikawa Prefecture who worked on infrastructure projects in Taiwan, demonstrating the enduring gratitude of the Taiwanese people. The newspaper also featured a photo of Lai’s visit to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa in 2011 when he was the mayor of Tainan.2024/02/01 16:50 -
KMT candidate Hou exposes Ko’s message on Gou’s race exit
During a three-way election talk in Taipei, Kuomintang presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih revealed a private message sent by independent candidate Ko Wen-je, implying that Terry Gou, another independent candidate, needs a reason to withdraw from the race. The gathering, attended by Gou, Hou, Ko, former president Ma Ying-jeou, and KMT chairman Eric Chu, has been seen as a classic pre-election scene. Hou accidentally disclosed Ko’s comments about Gou needing an excuse to step down. Ko had intended to hold a meeting among the three parties to demonstrate their commitment to Taiwan’s future. By giving Gou a chance to host the meeting and act as a driving force behind the KMT-TPP ticket, Ko believed Gou could withdraw from the race without embarrassment. Gou was reportedly shocked by this revelation, as he was unaware of the messages exchanged. Wu Tzu-chia, president of Formosa Online, commented on the incident, highlighting Gou’s surprise and his initial intention to promote opposition unity. However, Ko’s reaction to the leaked message was ironic, as he criticized Hou and exposed his own pretense, adding further controversy to the already heated election atmosphere.2023/11/24 18:00