The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) was closely watching Kosovo's expected declaration of independence yesterday. The ministry has drafted a statement to congratulate Kosovo on independence and to reiterate Taipei's support for the UN's principle of respecting a sovereign state's right to self determination.
Ministry spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (
Yeh said the right to self determination is recognized by the UN as an inalienable right of all people. As a sovereign nation, Taiwan applauds and respects any country that achieves independence in a democratic and peaceful manner.
Pro-Taiwan independence advocates see Kosovo's move toward independence as proof that their own struggle for an independent nation will eventually succeed.
"It is the Kosovar people's basic right to decide their future. The UN should support Kosovo and accept it as a member. If the UN refuses to accept Kosovo because of opposition from Russia, then it violates its founding principle -- the right of equal participation and self determination," said Reverend William Lo (羅榮光), secretary-general of the Taiwan UN Alliance.
He said the UN should not exclude any sovereign nation, including Taiwan, as a matter of justice.
But Taipei's attempt to re-enter the global body as Taiwan is seen by Beijing as an attempt to change the "status quo" between the two sides and the US worries it could spark a cross-strait conflict.
"The UN referendums are Taiwan's first step toward independence. Taiwanese must let the world hear their voice through the referendum," Luo said.
Lin Chong-pin (林中斌), a former vice minister of national defense and now a China expert at Tamkang University, said Kosovo's example is only partially applicable to Taiwan as the two countries' situations are substantially different.
Additional reporting by Jenny W. Hsu
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,
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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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