As the security of the Taiwan Strait will be subsumed into the US-Japan joint pact and presented as a "common strategic objective" by the two powers, members of Taiwan Society North (TSN, 北社) yesterday said that this is the optimal time for Taiwan to voice its strong opposition to Beijing's planned anti-secession law. They also asked the pan-blue camp to declare its stance on Beijing's proposed legislation.
"It is absolutely favorable to Taiwan that the US government announced the inclusion of the security of the Taiwan Strait in the US-Japanese Security Alliance pact before China formally enacts the anti-secession law," TSN chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民) said yesterday at a seminar held by the society on "what could Taiwan do to counter China's planned anti-secession law" at the National Taiwan University (NTU) Conference Center.
"Although the pact mainly focused on the interests of the US and Japan, it also aimed at warning China not to have its way with Taiwan and not to make the so-called anti-secession law arbitrary," Wu said.
"Taiwan should take advantage of this time to accentuate the gravity of Beijing's anti-secession law domestically and internationally to stop China legislating this law," Wu said.
Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明), a political analyst and assistant researcher of the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences at Academia Sinica, suggested that pro-independence groups like the TSN or the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) start with visiting Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who is now campaigning for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairmanship.
He also asked Ma to show his support for making a "anti-annexation law" to counter Beijing's legislation.
"It is almost certain that Ma will run for the presidency representing the KMT in 2008, and he might be happy to react to this demand by the pro-independence groups, because it could add some `local color' to his campaign, in a sense." Hsu said.
Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has died of pneumonia at the age of 48 while on a trip to Japan, where she contracted influenza during the Lunar New Year holiday, her sister confirmed today through an agent. "Our whole family came to Japan for a trip, and my dearest and most kindhearted sister Barbie Hsu died of influenza-induced pneumonia and unfortunately left us," Hsu's sister and talk show hostess Dee Hsu (徐熙娣) said. "I was grateful to be her sister in this life and that we got to care for and spend time with each other. I will always be grateful to
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