Kaohsiung City Mayor Frank Hsieh(
The Cabinet issued a press release yesterday saying that the government would review the current rules for government officials to visit China, but before that task is completed, it can only follow existing rules in judging the case.
"This time the city exchange was blocked due to limits of rules and political factors. It's regretful, but I will tolerate it," Hsieh said during a press conference yesterday in Kaohsiung.
However, Hsieh insisted that "city exchanges will still be a future goal" and that he hoped "the case would not influence cross-strait communication and help both sides continue to interact."
Hsieh said he hoped that in the future, trips to China, including those for city councilors, would place cross-strait communication under the supervision of the public and create a transparent model for governments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"Talking directly is better than talking indirectly. Understanding is better than misunderstanding. Goodwill is better than war," Hsieh said.
Hsieh also showed related documents to reporters, which included the invitation letter from the Xiamen government, an itinerary for the trip and government documents from Premier Tang Fei (唐飛).
The formal invitation from Xiamen was dated on July 5 -- two days later than when the so-called fax was sent.
Hsieh declined to explain the time gap and the absence of a chop stamp on the correspondence. Hsieh insisted that the formal letter was authentic.
Hsieh's trip to Xiamen would have included a meeting with the governor of Fujian Province, the mayor of Xiamen and various other officials and businessmen.
Hsieh's trip, according to current regulations, needed the Cabinet's permission. The Cabinet reviewed Hsieh's plan over the past two days and twice requested additional information from Hsieh on the grounds that his previous proposal was incomplete.
Chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Tsai Ing-wen said early yesterday that the government was considering approving Hsieh's plan.
On Thursday, a Chinese official stipulated various conditions -- including defining Taiwanese officials as local Chinese officials and acceptance of the "one China" principle -- before Taiwanese officials can visit China.
Hsieh stressed that the trip was just municipal and cultural interaction without a state-level dialogue.
The Cabinet said that Hsieh's plan was more than just a cultural interchange.
However, before the Cabinet made its final decision, Hsieh withdrew his proposal yesterday afternoon and informed Xiamen officials that he would not be able to visit. Hsieh said he still welcomed Xiamen Mayor Zhu Yayan (
Hsieh announced on Tuesday that the mayor of Xiamen had sent him an informal letter inviting him to visit.
Hsieh accepted the invitation and had planned to travel to China during the period of July 10 to July 13 before taking over as DPP chairman on July 22.
His plans frustrated, Hsieh admitted that the possibility for him to visit China would be even slimmer after he accepts the post as chairman of the DPP later this month.
ANNOUNCEMENT: People who do not comply with the ban after a spoken warning would be reported to the police, the airport company said on Friday Taoyuan International Airport Corp on Friday announced that riding on vehicles, including scooter-suitcases (also known as “scootcases”), bicycles, scooters and skateboards, is prohibited in the airport’s terminals. Those using such vehicles should manually pull them or place them on luggage trolleys, the company said in a Facebook post. The ban intends to maintain order and protect travelers’ safety, as the airport often sees large crowds of people, it said, adding that it has stepped up publicity for the regulation, and those who do not comply after a spoken warning would be reported to the police. The company yesterday said that
QUIET START: Nearly a week after applications opened, agencies did not announce or promote the program, nor did they explain how it differed from other visitor visas Taiwan has launched a six-month “digital nomad visitor visa” program for foreign nationals from its list of visa-exempt countries who meet financial eligibility criteria and provide proof of work contracts. To apply, foreign nationals must either provide proof that they have obtained a digital nomad visa issued by another country or demonstrate earnings based on age brackets, the Bureau of Consular Affairs said. Applicants aged 20 to 29 must show they earned an annual salary of at least US$20,000 or its equivalent in one of the past two years, while those aged 30 or older must provide proof they earned US$40,000 in
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
UNITY MESSAGE: Rather than focusing on what Trump said on the campaign trail about Taiwan, Taipei should be willing to engage with the US, Pompeo said Taiwan plays a key role in Washington’s model of deterrence against China, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Taipei yesterday. During US president-elect Donald Trump’s first term, “we had developed what we believe was a pretty effective model of deterrence against adversaries who wanted to undermine the set of rules and values that the people of Taiwan and the people of the US hold dear,” Pompeo said at a forum organized by the Formosa Republican Association. “Succeeding in continuing to build this model will not solely rest at the feet of president Trump and his team,
RSS