The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) confirmed yesterday that party Chairman Lien Chan (
"The KMT explained to the United States that peace is the basic principle underlying our position on cross-strait relations. The KMT does not advocate Taiwanese independence. [We] support the strengthening of cross-strait exchanges and this conforms with the American position," KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (
According to a report yesterday in the Chinese-language daily China Times, Paal met Lien at KMT headquarters after Lien presided over the weekly Central Standing Committee meeting.
Chang confirmed the China Times report with the Taipei Times yesterday and said Lien had made his position clear during the visit.
When asked if Paal expressed any concerns in regard to Lien's trip, Chang said the AIT had just wanted to "understand" the situation.
He said other US government representatives had been in contact with party officials on other occasions to learn more about the visit, which begins on Tuesday.
"The US hopes for cross-strait dialogue, and hopes that the governments of [China and Taiwan] can communicate. But before the governments can engage in dialogue, dialogue between other political figures will help bring peace and stability to the Taiwan Strait," Chang said.
Asked whether Paal presented any demands during the meeting, Chang said that the US was unlikely to demand anything from the KMT since the party was not in power.
Chang added that the KMT's China policy was enshrined in its official documents and that Lien and KMT officials accompanying him would abide by the law and not undercut the government's authority.
The KMT also issued a press statement late on Wednesday night saying it had noted the US government's reaction to Lien's visit and was glad the US had affirmed the trip.
The US had previously expressed cautious support for the pan-blue camp leaders' trips to China.
When asked about a phone call Lien is scheduled to make to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Monday afternoon, Chang yesterday said the conversation would proceed naturally.
Asked the same question yesterday, Lien told reporters, "You help me think of what to say."
Lien will take two sets of books to give as gifts while in China. The first is A General History of Taiwan -- written in the 1920s by historian Lien Heng (連橫), Lien Chan's grandfather -- and Through Reform is Hope, a book Lien Chan wrote last year.
Lien will also hand out a memorandum detailing Lien's thoughts on the trip, which will take him to Nanjing, Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.
‘TAIWAN-FRIENDLY’: The last time the Web site fact sheet removed the lines on the US not supporting Taiwanese independence was during the Biden administration in 2022 The US Department of State has removed a statement on its Web site that it does not support Taiwanese independence, among changes that the Taiwanese government praised yesterday as supporting Taiwan. The Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, produced by the department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, previously stated that the US opposes “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.” In the updated version published on Thursday, the line stating that the US does not support Taiwanese independence had been removed. The updated
‘CORRECT IDENTIFICATION’: Beginning in May, Taiwanese married to Japanese can register their home country as Taiwan in their spouse’s family record, ‘Nikkei Asia’ said The government yesterday thanked Japan for revising rules that would allow Taiwanese nationals married to Japanese citizens to list their home country as “Taiwan” in the official family record database. At present, Taiwanese have to select “China.” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the new rule, set to be implemented in May, would now “correctly” identify Taiwanese in Japan and help protect their rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The statement was released after Nikkei Asia reported the new policy earlier yesterday. The name and nationality of a non-Japanese person marrying a Japanese national is added to the
AT RISK: The council reiterated that people should seriously consider the necessity of visiting China, after Beijing passed 22 guidelines to punish ‘die-hard’ separatists The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has since Jan. 1 last year received 65 petitions regarding Taiwanese who were interrogated or detained in China, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. Fifty-two either went missing or had their personal freedoms restricted, with some put in criminal detention, while 13 were interrogated and temporarily detained, he said in a radio interview. On June 21 last year, China announced 22 guidelines to punish “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists,” allowing Chinese courts to try people in absentia. The guidelines are uncivilized and inhumane, allowing Beijing to seize assets and issue the death penalty, with no regard for potential
‘UNITED FRONT’ FRONTS: Barring contact with Huaqiao and Jinan universities is needed to stop China targeting Taiwanese students, the education minister said Taiwan has blacklisted two Chinese universities from conducting academic exchange programs in the nation after reports that the institutes are arms of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) published yesterday. China’s Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou, which have 600 and 1,500 Taiwanese on their rolls respectively, are under direct control of the Chinese government’s political warfare branch, Cheng said, citing reports by national security officials. A comprehensive ban on Taiwanese institutions collaborating or
RSS