The US arms package for Taiwan announced by Washington last week did not jeopardize cross-strait relations, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday, promising to maintain proper defensive capabilities while promoting peace across the Taiwan Strait.
US President Barack Obama on Wednesday notified the US Congress of a US$5.85 billion arms package to Taiwan that did not include the 66 F-16C/D aircraft Taipei desires and centered instead on upgrading its existing fleet of aging F-16A/Bs.
Beijing has condemned the latest arms package, but did not announce any retaliatory steps.
Ma defended the government’s moves in seeking the arms package and said the efforts did not signal any intention to engage in an arms race with China.
“The US arms sale to Taiwan did not jeopardize cross-strait relations and we did not put all our eggs in one basket. We are negotiating a free-trade agreement with Singapore and signed an investment pact with Japan,” Ma told a youth supporters’ group in Sindian District (新店), New Taipei City (新北市).
Ma said the US government has notified Congress of US$18.3 billion in weapons sales to Taiwan since he came into office in May 2008, referring to arms packages October 2008 and January last year, as well as the one announced last week.
“In the process of seeking US arms sales to Taiwan, we signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement [ECFA] with mainland China and our actions to maintain necessary defensive capabilities have not caused tensions across the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
Ma, who is seeking a second term in January, also promised to carry out policies aimed at employment, education and housing issues that concern the nation’s younger generations.
Meeting Facebook supporters in Taipei later in the day, Ma promised to implement a typhoon-day policy next year.
The Ma administration last month proposed a paid “typhoon day” for people with children, so that in areas where a typhoon day is declared for schools, but not for offices, parents can have the day off to take care of their children.
The policy, which was proposed last month after some parents complained about the government’s failure to grant them paid leave when a typhoon day had been declared for schools, would be implemented next year, the president said, stressing the government’s effort to address public issues.
“This is not a big issue, but it would make people uncomfortable if we failed to address it ... We will carry out the policy while trying not to affect businesses,” Ma said.
He brushed aside concerns about the government’s attempt to please voters ahead of the presidential and legislative elections and insisted that his administration would not take public opinion for granted.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old