Taiwan

Injured KMT honorary chairman's son in stable condition

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-28 10:42

Kuomintang (KMT) honorary chairman Lien Chan and his wife went to the hospital after his son was wounded by gunshot on Friday. Picture taken on Nov 27, 2010. [Photo/CFP]

TAIPEI - Sean Lien, son of Kuomintang (KMT) honorary chairman Lien Chan, was in stable condition after he was wounded by gunshot Friday during an election campaign in Taipei County, the hospital where he was treated said Saturday.

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Doctors in the Taiwan University Hospital said Sean Lien's surgery, which lasted about three and a half hours, was successful and he was in stable condition at present. His wounds in the face were cleared and stitched up.

Sean Lien was shot in the face Friday on the eve of the island's mayoral and city councilor elections when he was campaigning for a KMT candidate.

Doctors said they found wounds in his left cheek and the place near the right temple and he suffered from fractures in the cheek bone because of heat from the explosion of the bullet.

The shooting occurred at around 8:20 pm, and a 29-year-old local resident died on the spot after being hit by a stray bullet, according to local police.

A suspect, who was found carrying a pistol and bullets, was detained Friday.

The incident became the frontpage stories in all major newspapers in Taiwan Saturday. And people from various circles in the island have expressed condemnation on this violent attack.

According to the result of Saturday's voting, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) won three seats while the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won two seats in Saturday's mayoral elections in Taiwan's five cities.

KMT candidates Hau Lung-bin, Eric Chu and Jason Hu were elected as mayors for cities of Taipei, Xinbei and Taichung, respectively, while DPP candidates William Lai and Chen Chu won the mayorship in cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung, respectively.

The elections to the 314 seats of the city councils in the five major cities were also held the same day.

The current Taipei county will be renamed as Xinbei city. And the expanded Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung cities, which will include the existing three counties of the same names, respectively, will be established on Dec 25.

By then, the five cities of Taipei, Xinbei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung will have a combined population of 13.8 million, accounting for around 60 percent of Taiwan's total population.