離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Tsai, Lai seek support as DPP readies for polls
President Tsai Ing-wen poses for a selfie with a supporter in Hsinchu County’s Nanliao Fishing Harbor yesterday. Photo: Hung Mei-hsiu, Taipei Times
By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） and former premier Willaim Lai （賴清德） spent yesterday campaigning as the Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） prepared for a week of public opinion polls to decide the winner of its presidential primary.
The polls, to be conducted today through Friday, are to give equal weighting to landline and cellphone samples.
Tsai’s itinerary took her to Taoyuan, where she attended events at three major temples, accompanied by DPP Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan （鄭文燦）, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung （徐國勇） and other senior party members.
Reaching Jinfu Temple （景福宮）, Tsai praised Cheng, saying: “This is my first campaign stop [today], and I came here first because I wanted to thank the people of Taoyuan... Cheng has done an excellent job here.”
She also touted improvements her administration has made to the nation’s economy.
“From January to May, businesspeople have been returning to Taiwan and they have already invested more than NT$300 billion [US$9.55 billion]... I am confident that their investments in the nation will reach more than NT$500 billion by the end of this year. Taoyuan has good geography and transportation, and is likely to attract some of these investment projects,” she said.
Cheng called on the public to give Tsai four more years.
“Four more years for Tsai will give Taiwan the progress it needs in the economy, infrastructure and public welfare,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lai yesterday morning in Pingtung launched the Motorcade Rally to Strengthen Taiwan, a nationwide canvassing effort starting in southern Taiwan and finishing in Taipei.
“I have strong determination to stand together with all the people, and together we will strengthen Taiwan,” Lai said as he led the motorcade from its start at the plaza in front of Yu Huang Temple （玉皇宮）.
DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin （鍾佳濱）, who represents Pingtung County, showed up to lend his support, while DPP Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an （潘孟安） later joined the motorcade.
Lai, leading the motorcade in a Jeep, greeted a cheering crowd, with some moving in to shake his hand.
“Lai is my brother... Politics can be cruel, but it can also have warmth,” Pan said. “It has been a difficult journey for Lai, and I am quite moved by his mission for the future.”
DPP Legislator Liu Shyh-fang （劉世芳）, representing Kaohsiung, came out in support, as did DPP lawmakers Lin Chun-hsien （林俊憲）, Yeh Yi-jin （葉宜津） and Kuo Kuo-wen （郭國文）, as the motorcade made its way from Kaohsiung to Tainan.
DPP Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che （黃偉哲） said that “before the primary result on Friday, I will show up to support both Lai and Tsai, but after Friday, I will only support the presidential candidate as decided by the DPP’s primary process.”
The motorcade last night arrived in Chiayi.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
%http://www.taipeitimes.com/
Former premier and Tainan mayor William Lai, front row in white shirt, and supporters visit the Wannian Temple in Tainan yesterday. Photo: Wang Chun-yi, Taipei Times
