The Executive Yuan’s Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) on Thursday announced that it has walked out of the Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo in China this year, accusing Chinese authorities of trying to force it to reword “indigenous peoples” as “ethnic minorities,” while its title was banned from event material.
The Mainland Affairs Council on Thursday night issued a statement supporting the CIP’s decision, while calling on Beijing to adopt a mutually respectful attitude and to leave politics out of “interactive” events.
Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Icyang Parod said his council had been notified that all documents and other printed material at the expo should have “ethnic minorities” in place of “indigenous peoples,” adding that Chinese officials said that “ethnic minorities” was its official appellation, as Article 4 of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) constitution says: “The nation guarantees the legal rights and benefits of each ethnic minority.”
Photo courtesy of the Council of Indigenous Peoples
Icyang said that adherence to the PRC constitution ignored a 1994 Republic of China (ROC) constitutional amendment that officially recognized Aborigines.
Up until the CIP delegation departed for Hangzhou, it said that the group would be attending the expo without changing its name, Icyang said, adding that the CIP had not expected the hosts to make such demands.
The hosts removed a plaque over an area bearing the CIP’s name, Icyang said, adding that the habitual politicization of what should be simple cultural interactive events was not conducive to harmonious cross-strait relations.
Photo courtesy of the Council of Indigenous Peoples
China was adhering to Han chauvinism by referring to other ethnicities as “minorities,” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kolas Yotaka said.
The government and the private sector are willing to work with China on certain issues, but the oppression of Taiwan by Beijing has shown that it is China that is the source of hostility, Kolas said.
Despite the CIP’s expo exit, it said that 10 civilian cultural and creative groups at the event were free to make their own decision about attending, as the government encourages civilian cross-strait interaction.
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