Premier Su Tseng-chang (
"The guidelines and the council exist for the purpose of promoting unification with China. This is against the people's will and reality," Su said.
The premier made the remarks in response to questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislators Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛) and Chiu Yi (邱毅), who asked whether Su supported President Chen Shui-bian's (
The council is a symbolic institution that has not met in several years, and has a budget of only NT$1,000 (US$31).
Taiwan is an independent country whose sovereignty belongs to its 23 million citizens, Su said, adding that what that means is that only these citizens have the right to decide the country's future.
However, he noted, the goal of the guidelines and the council is to facilitate unification with China, thereby circumventing the freedom of the Taiwanese people to determine a course for the country.
Su added that the National Security Council is currently examining the issue.
Supporting chen
The premier was also questioned about whether he would support Chen's new approach on cross-strait policy, which advocates a harder stance on cross-strait relations and has been dubbed "active management, effective opening." Su said he will not only carry out the policy, but that he will also do his best in ensuring its implementation.
Yesterday was Su's first administrative report to the Legislative Yuan.
He told lawmakers that "fairness, hard work and honesty" will be his motto as he carries out his duties.
When asked whether relations between the US and Taiwan have suffered as a result of the president's speech about scrapping the NUC, and the US' subsequent open rebuke, Su said that Taiwan-US relations have not changed.
But KMT legislators did not share his view, and Chiu asked the Cabinet if Taiwan's top envoy to the US, David Lee (
Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (
"Lee is doing a good job. The president does not intend to recall him," Huang added.
Bribery-free pledge
Su was then asked about his attitude toward the investigation into the Kaohsiung Rapid Transportation Corp scandal and other instances of alleged graft by government officials. He said he was determined to maintain a bribery-free government.
"I fully support prosecutors. Also, I shall not allow politics to interfere with justice, either," Su said. "Any government officials who commit crimes will be removed from my team for sure. No question about it. And these cases should be handled as fast as possible."
Su then addressed economic issues. He said his Cabinet will pay equal attention to the business, industrial, agricultural and fishery sectors, and will deal with various infrastructure and economic development projects.
Su said he had invited Vice Premier Tsai Ing-wen (
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) asked Su whether the president had allowed him to decide who to designate as his Cabinet members. Su said that the president simply asked him to "do his best for all to see."
"According to the Constitution, the authority to designate ministers responsible for foreign affairs, cross-strait relations and national defense belongs to the president. But he fully respected my opinions and my authority as well," Su said.
The premier told Lee that he would follow his own principle of "doing more and talking less."
"I am here to serve the people," he said.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers