The Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presumptive presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) should specify which country she would like to lead, as her seeming refusal to recognize the existence of the Republic of China (ROC) in cross-strait relations throws the issue into confusion, opposition figures said yesterday.
Hung brought more controversy with her “one China, same interpretation” proposal when she said during an interview with Taiwan Television on Thursday night that the strategy was aimed at pressing China to recognize the existence of the “government” of the ROC, because “I can’t say that the ROC exists.”
A mention of the existence of the ROC would be tantamount to defining cross-strait relations as “state-to-state” relations, Hung said, a reference to what former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) had proposed in 1999.
Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Juan Chao-hsiung (阮昭雄) yesterday asked Hung to clarify “which country she is running for.”
Hung’s “one China, same interpretation” is a “reckless” proposal that goes against mainstream opinion to “make the ROC nonexistent,” Juan said.
Given the fact that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has said he considered Hung’s “one China, same interpretation” identical to his proposal that Taiwan and China agree to the “one China” principle with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means, Ma should also clarify whether he finds Hung’s “no mention of the ROC” acceptable, Juan said.
Political activist Shih Ming-te (施明德), who has been seeking independent presidential candidacy, yesterday asked Hung not to run for president if there is no room for the ROC in her proposed cross-strait policy.
Shih said on Thursday night he was “pissed off” when he heard Hung’s views about her “one China, same interpretation” proposal.
“How can she say something like that?” Shih said. “If you can’t mention the ROC, please do not run for president of the ROC and please do not serve as deputy legislative speaker of the ROC.”
The New Power Party yesterday demanded a debate between its leader Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) and Hung on the “one China, same interpretation” proposal.
Hung’s proposal has denigrated the status of Taiwan and is detrimental to the nation’s sovereignty, the New Power Party said in a statement.
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