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Tsai arrives in UK to
visit alma mater
BUILDING CREDIBILITY: A DPP spokesperson said
Tsai’s campaign team would be made public this month, but he refused to confirm
a role for rival Su Tseng-chang
By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was greeted by
more than 100 overseas Taiwanese as she arrived in London yesterday on the
second and final leg of her overseas tour that has been marked so far by a focus
on sustainable energy and nuclear policy.
Media attention is expected to focus on Tsai’s return to her alma mater, the
London School of Economics and Political Science, where both the previous two
candidates to become Republic of China president had spoken before being
elected, and her speech at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
In contrast with her earlier appearances in Berlin, Tsai was expected to use her
time in London to focus on Asia-Pacific security issues and other topics
relevant to her talk at SOAS, scheduled to be held at noon yesterday, UK time.
The content of the talk and the later discussion at the LSE were not available
as of press time in Taiwan last night.
The previous night Tsai spoke to an overseas Taiwanese group, stressing that
Taiwan’s democracy had become “mature” and “reasonable,” and therefore needed to
be overseen by a professional, a reference to herself.
Tsai also said that cross-strait relations were at a similar stage and should be
handled “professionally” rather than “politically.”
However, Tsai declined to say who she planned to pick as a running mate, a
subject that has kept the media guessing for more than a month.
On a related note, DPP spokesperson Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) yesterday said that
Tsai’s election campaign team would be made public sometime in the middle of
this month, although he refused to confirm speculation that former primary rival
Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) would play a prominent role.
Chen, who is in London with Tsai, said he could not confirm widespread media
reports that Su would take the post of both presidential and legislative
election chairperson and that former DPP secretary-general Wu -Nai-jen (吳乃仁)
would act as election manager.
Reports have also said that former minister without portfolio Lin Si-yao (林錫耀)
is to be appointed executive director of the campaign, while former Premier
Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) could head a legislative election team.
“Everything is still being discussed,” Chen said. “When the time comes, we will
announce the names of all the top campaign leaders. It’s still too early for
such speculation on names and positions.”
Chen said that Tsai was “aware” that next year’s combined presidential and
legislative elections would be difficult to win.
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