President Chen Shui-bian (
"The `five noes' promise I made in my inauguration speech is conditional upon Communist China's not intending to take military action against Taiwan," Chen said.
PHOTO: CNA
"But during the past three years, Beijing has put in place more ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan, expanded its military expenditure on a large scale and repeatedly threatened Taiwan," he said.
"All of these [actions] have clearly displayed its intention of using force against Taiwan." Chen said. "Therefore, my `five noes' actually cease to exist while China's wields the threat of military action.
"The reason that I still pledge to firmly maintain the `five noes' is because I am willing to make a concession, to compromise with the other side of Taiwan Strait," Chen said, adding that he could not keep making compromises without gaining safeguards for Taiwan's dignity and safety.
Chen made the remarks at a "glutinous rice ball" party to mark the winter solstice yesterday.
He said his administration had endeavored to improve cross-strait relations over the past three years, but that his humble approach had failed to get a positive reaction from Beijing.
"From this moment on, if China tries to launch any missile -- as it did in 1996 to threaten the people of Taiwan to affect the presidential election -- I will revoke the `five noes,'" Chen said.
He said he would cancel the planned "defensive referendum" should China withdraw its missiles or renounce the use of force against Taiwan.
Chen said the "defensive referendum" should be called a "peaceful referendum." He said the referendum is a basic right of all people of Taiwan, a measure to strengthen the nation's democracy and a modest request to maintain the status quo of independence.
"Some say the referendum ... is not necessary because everyone knows what the result of the referendum will be," Chen said. "Some opposition politicians even say that such a topic should be left to the Legislative Yuan.
"I want to remind them that advanced democratic countries have their own parliament and may also use referendums to make up the insufficiency of representative democracy," he said.
"When people leave their home and go to the booth to cast their votes to ask China to withdraw its missiles and renounce the use of military force, it will bring a completely different reaction and carry a significance different from that of a legislative resolution," Chen said.
"Only because we hold the peaceful referendum will the entire international community pay attention to this small island," he said. "Only through this opportunity can we make the international community understand the real situation in the Taiwan Strait.
"It is the best way to maintain Taiwan's security," he said, adding the referendum would not violate the "five noes" and is designed to maintain the status quo.
As to whether he has US support for the referendum, Chen said communication between two countries' governments is proceeding and that it takes time to eliminate misgivings or anxiety.
"I think the crucial moment in the US-Taiwan relationship is in the next three to five months," he said, adding that he believes the US is more concerned about his inauguration speech on May 20 than the defensive referendum.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique