Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
In a meeting with Wang yesterday, KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Wang said that Ma telephoned him early yesterday morning and told him he would be happy to see him attend the event in place of the president. Wang said he was grateful that Ma "has the nation's overall interest in mind" in regard to the matter.
Wang, however, said that it was not the right time for him to meet Ma and that a meeting with him might not take place until "things are settled."
"In addition to instructing the party to help me make the necessary preparations before the trip, he [Ma] said that he is willing to use party channels to convince China to let me attend the meeting," Wang told reporters yesterday morning.
Xinhua Agency quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan (孔泉) as saying that China was firmly opposed to Taiwan's "Legislative Yuan President" attending the summit.
Kong said that "Chinese Taipei" could only send its minister in charge of APEC-related economic affairs to attend the meeting.
He said Chen had ulterior motives and was playing tricks, and that the parties concerned should handle the matter carefully and realize the gravity of the issue, Xinhua said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Michael Lu (
Responding to China's opposition, Wang called on Beijing to adopt new thinking and adjust its stance.
"It's been 14 years since the memorandum of understanding [allowing Taiwan to join APEC] was signed and it is time for a change," he said.
Wang also dismissed China for questioning Chen's motives for appointing him as his proxy. He said he felt Chen had the utmost sincerity, and that he would not allow anyone to question it.
Wang also revealed that he informed former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) about the matter on Wednesday and that Lien told him he would be happy to see Wang represent Chen at the meeting.
Lien apparently also told Wang that the party did not allow former premier Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) to attend an APEC meeting in 2000 as Chen's proxy because Siew was a party vice chairman at the time.
Since Wang was no longer KMT vice chairman, Lien said it would be "appropriate" and "uniquely meaningful" if Wang could go, Wang quoted Lien as saying.
Siew had been picked by Chen to go to the 2000 meeting, but was prevented from doing so after the Cabinet's abrupt announcement that it would suspend construction of the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.
Governor of the Central Bank Perng Fai-nan (
Chen's assignment of Wang received praise across party lines in the legislature's Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Com-mittee yesterday.
However, opposition legislators, while applauding Chen for the decision, wondered if Chen's announcement had been made without Seoul's approval.
"Given the country's difficult diplomatic situation, the government should operate in a pragmatic way in assigning its representatives at the meeting," KMT Legislator Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) said.
Chiang said protocol requirede that admission to the meeting be approved by the host country before an announcement was made.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) said the US had responded positively to the announcement, which would be helpful.
"President Chen informed US officials of the announcement when he made a transit stop in Miami en route to Central America in late September," the minister said. "The US official regarded Wang as a very suitable delegate."
He urged legislators and the public to support Wang.
"As long as the public can stand up for the government's decision on the basis of the national interest, there is every possibility that Wang will be present at the meeting," he said.
Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) yesterday said that Wang was a better choice than he, and that he was more than happy to offer him advice. Lee attended the last three APEC summits as the president's envoy.
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
CHANGE OF MIND: The Chinese crew at first showed a willingness to cooperate, but later regretted that when the ship arrived at the port and refused to enter Togolese Republic-registered Chinese freighter Hong Tai (宏泰號) and its crew have been detained on suspicion of deliberately damaging a submarine cable connecting Taiwan proper and Penghu County, the Coast Guard Administration said in a statement yesterday. The case would be subject to a “national security-level investigation” by the Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office, it added. The administration said that it had been monitoring the ship since 7:10pm on Saturday when it appeared to be loitering in waters about 6 nautical miles (11km) northwest of Tainan’s Chiang Chun Fishing Port, adding that the ship’s location was about 0.5 nautical miles north of the No.
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
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