During the Double Ten National Day celebrations yesterday President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen was referring to concerns over the failure of the Legislative Yuan to pass a special arms budget to purchase US weaponry.
"Although the largest opposition party [the Chinese Nationalist Party, or KMT] has realized that the public supports the arms budget, it has no resolve to change its position as a result of being tied up by the other opposition party [the People First Party, or PFP]," Chen said in his address to the nation during this year's Double Ten National Day ceremony held in front of the Presidential Office.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The arms budget was decided by the former KMT government in the late 1990s. The KMT, however, shifted its position after losing the presidential election in 2000, and has been working with the PFP to block the bill in the legislature.
"The opposition alliance has prevented the arms bill from making it onto the legislative agenda 31 times, disabling the country's self-defense capability," he said.
Even so, Chen said his government would try hard to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capability and maintain cross-strait peace, which he regarded as Taiwan's biggest responsibility.
The ceremony was chaired by Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Chen also stressed his determination to carry out reforms in six areas during the two-and-a-half years remaining in his presidency.
These included the second phase of financial reform, which is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the finance industry, tax reform as well as changes to the preferential 18 percent interest rates offered to retired civil servants and teachers, in a bid to lessen social inequality. In addition, the president mentioned media reform eliminating the influence of political parties, government and the military on the media, political reform to probe properties inappropriately seized by political parties and constitutional reform to create a mechanism to deal with political stalemates.
"The six reform priorities stand on top of my administration agenda; more importantly, these are `contracts' with the people of Taiwan," Chen said.
Many believe that the DPP's ability to implement reforms and its clean image helped it win support after taking power in 2000, but recent scandals with the Kaohsiung MRT, extra bonuses for government-appointed representatives of state-run China Steel Corp and the like have harmed the party's image.
Responding to allegations of corruption, Chen pledged to implement a zero-tolerance policy.
"Any individual found to violate the laws of our nation will be sanctioned by the law and any corrupt misconduct will be subject to action by legal authorities, irrespective of [the individual's] background, credentials or social status," he said.
When asked by press for comments on the president's address, KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Ma, who sat next to DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) during the National Day celebration, said he spoke with Su about the speech.
"I told Su that so far the Ministry of National Defense is the only government department to have offered an explanation about the arm-sale bill, but it is about more than national defense," Ma said.
"The president took advantage of the occasion to criticize the opposition parties who could only sit and listen while having no chance to respond," Ma said, adding that Chen's statement had implied that the DPP also bears half the responsibility for the confrontation.
Additional reporting by Jewel Huang
also see stories:
Groups ask pan-blues to stop bill
Pan-blue `peace' bill violates the Constitution
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College