President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu were shot at approximately 12:45 a.m. ET March 19 while campaigning in the southern Taiwan city of Tainan.
At a Presidential Office press conference, Secretary-General to the President Chiou I-jen said that the president was wounded in the abdomen and that the vice president was hit in the right knee. The injuries are not life threatening, and both candidates remains fully conscious. They were taken to TainanÕs Cimei Hospital for treatment.
After returning to his residence in Taipei this evening, President Chen deivered the following taped message via television: "I very much appreciate the concerns from my fellow countrymen. Thanks to the good care and treatment by the medical staff, I am now all right, so please set your minds at ease. After this incident, relevant mechanisms of national security and other government agencies have been activated, and our national security is ensured. Please stay at ease."
The election will be held as scheduled and voters are urged to vote rationally, Premier Yu Shyi-kun said. "Election administration units are instructed to raise their guard and ensure that the voting and ballot counting process is accomplished smoothly. Prosecutorial and police units are instructed to devote all efforts to enhancing security measures for the candidates, the headquarters of all political parties, and the election campaign headquarters of the candidates, in order to guard fully against any occurrence that may jeopardize social order."
"The incident will be investigated to reveal the truth, and the attacker speedily arrested and brought to justice," the premier said. "The National Police Administration will be in charge of establishing a special task force in conjunction with the national security system. The prosecutor general is instructed to convene law enforcement agencies, including prosecutorial, police, investigative, and coast guard units, to commit every effort to arresting the attacker and solving the case within the shortest period of time."
The premier added, "Financial and economic situations will be met with careful responses, and a meeting will held next Monday by Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i."
