The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday condemned Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai (崔天凱) for calling DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) visit to the US a “job interview,” adding that his call for Tsai to be interviewed by China was rude and would not help to improve cross-strait relations.
“Chairperson Tsai has made it very clear in her commentary piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that maintaining stable and sustainable developments in cross-strait relations are important objectives,” DPP Department of China Affairs director Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) told a news conference at DPP headquarters in Taipei. “We hope to create transparent channels of communication between the DPP and Beijing, as well as between the party and the public to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, and to maintain peace and stability through exchanges, cooperation and dialogue in accordance with our principles.”
Chao said DPP presidential candidate Tsai has stressed that the visit is not a “job interview,” but to deliver the message that Taiwan and the US both believe in the universal values of democracy, freedom and human rights.
Photo: CNA
“Cui has not only intentionally twisted [Tsai’s intentions], but he arrogantly considers China as some sort of ‘heavenly court,’ asking Tsai to be tested by all Chinese,” Chao said. “This rude language is shocking and it does not help to improve mutual understanding and communication across the Taiwan Strait.”
Chao urged direct dialogue, adding that Beijing should refrain from making deals behind closed doors, while refusing any goodwill from the DPP.
Noting that some people have said Tsai’s visit to the US is aimed at soliciting Washington’s support ahead of January’s presidential election, Cui had said he wondered why she would talk to foreigners, but not directly to her compatriots on the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
“She first has to pass the test of the 1.3 billion Chinese,” Cui said.
Tsai should also state clearly whether she accepts the “one China” principle and should leave no ambiguity about that point, he said.
Cui said that China has been vigilant against activities to push for Taiwanese independence and there is no room for ambiguity when it comes to the “one China” principle.
“We have made it clear to the US that China is opposed to any activities related to Taiwan independence staged in the US and oppose the US giving a stage to such activities,” he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
‘TAIWAN-FRIENDLY’: The last time the Web site fact sheet removed the lines on the US not supporting Taiwanese independence was during the Biden administration in 2022 The US Department of State has removed a statement on its Web site that it does not support Taiwanese independence, among changes that the Taiwanese government praised yesterday as supporting Taiwan. The Taiwan-US relations fact sheet, produced by the department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, previously stated that the US opposes “any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side; we do not support Taiwan independence; and we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means.” In the updated version published on Thursday, the line stating that the US does not support Taiwanese independence had been removed. The updated
‘CORRECT IDENTIFICATION’: Beginning in May, Taiwanese married to Japanese can register their home country as Taiwan in their spouse’s family record, ‘Nikkei Asia’ said The government yesterday thanked Japan for revising rules that would allow Taiwanese nationals married to Japanese citizens to list their home country as “Taiwan” in the official family record database. At present, Taiwanese have to select “China.” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the new rule, set to be implemented in May, would now “correctly” identify Taiwanese in Japan and help protect their rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The statement was released after Nikkei Asia reported the new policy earlier yesterday. The name and nationality of a non-Japanese person marrying a Japanese national is added to the
AT RISK: The council reiterated that people should seriously consider the necessity of visiting China, after Beijing passed 22 guidelines to punish ‘die-hard’ separatists The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has since Jan. 1 last year received 65 petitions regarding Taiwanese who were interrogated or detained in China, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. Fifty-two either went missing or had their personal freedoms restricted, with some put in criminal detention, while 13 were interrogated and temporarily detained, he said in a radio interview. On June 21 last year, China announced 22 guidelines to punish “die-hard Taiwanese independence separatists,” allowing Chinese courts to try people in absentia. The guidelines are uncivilized and inhumane, allowing Beijing to seize assets and issue the death penalty, with no regard for potential
‘UNITED FRONT’ FRONTS: Barring contact with Huaqiao and Jinan universities is needed to stop China targeting Taiwanese students, the education minister said Taiwan has blacklisted two Chinese universities from conducting academic exchange programs in the nation after reports that the institutes are arms of Beijing’s United Front Work Department, Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) published yesterday. China’s Huaqiao University in Xiamen and Quanzhou, as well as Jinan University in Guangzhou, which have 600 and 1,500 Taiwanese on their rolls respectively, are under direct control of the Chinese government’s political warfare branch, Cheng said, citing reports by national security officials. A comprehensive ban on Taiwanese institutions collaborating or
RSS