In response to a call by Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) for president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to abide by Taiwan’s Constitution, which says both Taiwan and China are parts of the Republic of China (ROC), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday reiterated that it would maintain the cross-strait “status quo” within the constitutional framework.
“President-elect Tsai has made it very clear that when the new government is sworn in, it will strive to maintain the ‘status quo’ of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait based on the current ROC constitutional system,” DPP spokesperson Yang Chia-liang (楊家俍) said in response to reporters’ questions. “The DPP government will move beyond party divisions and follow public opinion to protect the interests of the people.”
Deputy Legislative Speaker Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌), who was accompanying Tsai Ing-wen on a visit to Taichung, echoed Yang’s comments, saying that insisting on the “status quo” of the ROC is the bottom line for the DPP government, with no room whatsoever for concessions.
“If both sides of the Taiwan Strait can have mutual exchanges and peaceful interactions under the ‘status quo,’ China should not change its stance because of a different governing party in Taiwan,” Tsai Chi-chang said.
Separately in Taipei, DPP caucus secretary-general Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) also said Tsai Ing-wen would handle cross-strait issues in accordance with the “status quo,” as she had promised during her presidential election campaign.
“There is no need for Wang to worry about this,” Chen added.
DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) said he felt that Wang’s statement was only a repetition of China’s long-time position.
“China has its own stance and we have our own stance in Taiwan, as well,” Lee said. “China has always insisted on ‘one China,’ and for the DPP, it is very clear that we will maintain peaceful development of cross-strait relations under the current constitutional system.”
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
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