Latest news with #LuShiowYen
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Taiwan's opposition KMT keeps focus on mass lawmaker recall as leadership race plays out
Taiwan's main opposition party the Kuomintang is gearing up for a pivotal leadership election in September – hoping a new party chair can steer it back to power after years on the political sidelines. But before it can look ahead to the 2028 Taiwan leadership race, the KMT faces an existential threat: a sweeping mass-recall campaign engineered by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that could gut its fragile legislative majority and plunge the party into deeper disarray. Analysts warn that failure to contain the recall challenge could derail the KMT's leadership transition before it even begins, leaving the Beijing-friendly party fractured and demoralised. In an interview with the Taipei-based United Daily News on May 26, KMT chairman Eric Chu Li-luan signalled he was ready to step down after completing his term, hinting that Taichung mayor Lu Shiow-yen could be a promising successor. 'My position has always been consistent. Every time someone mentions mayor Lu Shiow-yen, I say, 'She's excellent – very welcome, sincerely welcome,'' Chu said. 'What I hope for most is a smooth handover. I genuinely look forward to it.' Under Chu's proposed timeline, the KMT will announce the party chair race in July, hold internal voting in September and install a new leader by October.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
One dead and many injured after suspected gas explosion at Taiwan department store
At least one person died and 11 were injured after a suspected gas explosion tore away the top floor of a department store in central Taiwan on Thursday. The blast took place at a food court on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung City at 11.33 am local time, the Taichung Fire Bureau said. The death toll was expected to rise as four of the 11 injured people had no vital signs, the bureau said. The blast was so powerful it threw at least four people out the windows of the building in the Xitun district, Focus Taiwan quoted the bureau as reporting after speaking to eyewitnesses. The explosion was captured by a CCTV camera on a street outside. The CCTV video showed the glass panels of the 12th storey blowing up and leaving a pile of debris on the ground. 🚨 Breaking News from Taichung: A suspected gas explosion at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store leaves 7 injured and 5 dead. Rescue efforts underway as authorities secure the area. Stay safe, everyone! 🙏 #Taichung #SafetyFirst — TVBS World Taiwan (@tvbsworldtaiwan) February 13, 2025 Emergency services rushed to the spot and dozens of firefighters were working inside the building to douse the fire and take the injured to hospital. President Lai Ching Te called on 'relevant units to clarify the cause of the accident as soon as possible' in a Facebook post and directed the city authorities to conduct speedy rescue work. The shock of the blast was felt in nearby areas. Taichung mayor Lu Shiow Yen told reporters at the scene that she felt the shock at her office nearby. She said the fire bureau was focusing on rescue work first, but an investigation was underway and officers were checking whether there were other sources of danger. The explosion was speculated to have been caused by a leak from a gas canister which was being changed at a restaurant or during renovations at the food court. The incident came less than two months after nine people died in a massive fire at an under-construction food-processing building in Taichung city on 20 December. The fire in the building being developed by PX Mart supermarket chain was caused by welding sparks and spread rapidly through a large quantity of foam panels on the site.
