Former Premier William Lai has registered for the Democratic Progressive Party's presidential primaries. The DPP's Central Standing Committee formed a five-person coordination committee on the afternoon of Mar. 20. The members include DPP Chair Cho Jung-tai, Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, Presidential Office Secretary-general Chen Chu, and others. After the registration deadline passes, Cho said the committee will have a coordination process to resolve possible negative effects created by competition.


Taiwan Series champion Lamigo Monkeys met with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office on the 20th. Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Chu and Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan were also on hand. During her speech, Tsai compared Cheng to the Monkeys, saying he won two consecutive mayoral elections. She also expressed hopes everything would go smoothly with the new baseball season, which opens this week.

We want to create the strongest national team to fight for Taiwan baseball's place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Tsai also said she hopes Taiwan can send the strongest team possible to the Olympics and she hopes she can win two consecutive presidential elections as well. Former Premier William Lai shook things up this week when he registered for the Democratic Progressive Party's presidential primary. The party's Central Standing Committee has formed a five-person coordination task force. Apart from expressing support for Tsai, Cheng also said he would do everything he can on the coordination front.

The more difficult the moment, the more calm and united the party has to be. The party has to use its intelligence to resolve the potential negative impact from competition in the future.

On the 20th, Lai sought guidance at Chen Ding-Nan Memorial Park in Yilan. He later said if he is elected president, he would invoke Chen's spirit in governing the nation. As for legislators and party members choosing sides, Lai said he wants to set a good example during the primaries and party workers don't have to choose sides.

Truly, there was some degree of damage from all primaries in the past. However, we will use this opportunity to hold a model primary.

DPP Chair Cho Jung-tai, meanwhile, announced Tsai would depart for state visits to ROC allies in the South Pacific once registration for the primaries closes on the 21st.



高興接見二連霸的Lamigo桃猿隊，總統蔡英文20號上午再度邀請台灣大賽總冠軍隊桃猿隊，到總統府做客，包括總統府祕書長陳菊，以及桃園市長鄭文燦，都在一旁陪同。蔡總統致詞時，不忘稱讚鄭文燦和桃猿隊一樣，競選市長連任成功，也預祝職棒新球季本週順利開打。

總統 蔡英文表示：「我們要組織最強的國家隊，為台灣的棒球，全力來拚，為前進2020東京奧運備戰。」

蔡總統希望組成最強台灣隊前進奧運，也希望總統連任成功，可是前行政院長賴清德，登記民進黨總統初選，打亂一池春水，民進黨中常會也成立五人協調小組，進行黨內協調。桃園市長鄭文燦除了表態支持蔡英文，也強調會全力協調。

桃園市長 鄭文燦表示：「越是困難的時刻，黨內越要冷靜，越要團結，越要能夠發揮這個智慧，來化解未來可能的這個競爭所帶來的負面效應。」

而賴清德20號上午則是到宜蘭的陳定南紀念園區請益，賴清德強調，如果當選總統，一定會以陳定南的精神治國。對於立委表態、黨員選邊站的情況，賴清德說，初選要奠立典範，黨工不必表態選邊站。

前行政院長 賴清德表示：「的確，過去的初選都造成某種程度的傷害，但是我們要就此利用這個機會，打造一場典範級的初選。」

而民進黨主席卓榮泰表示，蔡總統將在21號上午，完成黨內初選登記，下午展開南太平洋友邦的訪友行程。