Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Lo Chi-ming (
Lo said the referendum gives Taiwanese people the chance to make the international community hear their voice.
Yeh, meanwhile, accused President Chen Shui-bian (
The referendum will ask voters: "If China refuses to withdraw the missiles targeted at Taiwan and does not give up its military threats, do you agree that the government should buy more anti-missile weapons and equipment to strengthen Taiwan's defense capabilities?"
Lo said, "If the result of Taiwan's first referendum is invalid [due to less than 50 percent of eligible voters casting ballots] or if half of voters choose not to enhance the military's anti-missile capabilities, then how could Taiwanese people expect the international community to assist Taiwan in defending itself against China in the future?"
"Those who oppose the referendum use all-out efforts to censure President Chen but say nothing to blame China," Lo said. "They just can't see any threat from those 500 missiles as well as its huge armaments expansion; rather, they point the finger at Taiwan's democratic development."
Yeh, also a former DPP legislator, insisted that the referendum is unconstitutional.
"According to the ROC Constitution, even though the president has the right to issue an emergency decree, it still needs the approval of the Legislative Yuan," Yeh said.
He said Chen's moves will lead to a dictatorship.
"Minister of Defense Tang Yao-ming (
"The ruling DPP and President Chen just try to sway the public by using emotional discourse, such as by saying the referendum is a universal value and a mechanism to secure Taiwan's sovereignty. However, they avoid rational discussion," Yeh said. "How could the president ignore the spirit of the Constitution?"
When asked by moderator Lo Chih-cheng, a political science professor at Soochow University, whether the missile threat shows China's intention to invade Taiwan, Yeh said Taiwan should rely on a political strategy to protect itself rather than on an arms race.
"I believe that China has no capability and inclination to attack Taiwan for the time being," Yeh said.
Lo Chi-ming said that a US evaluation of China's military has already warned that Beijing is prepared to launch military action against Taiwan at any moment.
"Moreover, even the advertisements of the People's Liberation Army clearly used a slogan about liberating Taiwan as soon as possible," Lo said. "How could anybody ignore China's intention?"
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
CHIPS AND DEFENSE: Trump said the US had lost its chip business and Taipei should pay it for defense, and added that ‘we’re no different than an insurance company’ Taiwan-US relations are solid, and both sides are in agreement that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region are everyone’s concern, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday following comments by former US president Donald Trump that Taiwan “should pay” for US defense. Taiwan is thankful to the US for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in international organizations, Cho told a news conference in Taipei. “I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100 percent of our chip business,” Trump told Bloomberg on June 25 in an interview that was published on Tuesday. “I think
SHOW OF SUPPORT: Taiwan has been one of the largest buyers of US defense equipment, supporting American businesses and jobs, US lawmakers said Taiwan has been paying for its own defense, a US Department of State official said on Wednesday, adding that purchases of military equipment are important to the US economy and for ensuring regional security. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was asked at a news conference about comments by former US president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in November’s US presidential election, who said during an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that Taiwan should pay Washington for its defense needs. “The purchases that they [Taiwan] have made not only are important, we believe, to regional security, but are important to the United States economy,”
END OF SESSION: Other changes that passed involved the removal of restrictions on group tours to China and raising the sentence for people found guilty of child abuse Legislators yesterday passed the third reading of amendments to Article 49 of the Electricity Act (電業法), which stipulate that at least half of the electricity price evaluation committee should be made up of civilian representatives, and a resolution to invite President William Lai (賴清德) to present a state of the nation address at the Legislative Yuan. They also passed a motion proposed by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) that the government remove restrictions on group tours to China. On the last day of this year’s first legislative session, the legislators attempted to deal with dozens of bills