Key DPP China policy advisors voiced their support for economic integration across the Taiwan Strait yesterday.
"The party looks forward to economic integration with China in line with the trend of globalization," Yen Chien-fa (顏建發), director of the DPP's China affairs department, said yesterday at a seminar on cross-strait affairs.
Yen rebuffed charges by the opposition that the DPP's refusal to recognize the "one China" principle has blocked cross-strait dialogue, without which it is impossible to remove obstacles to direct trade links between the two sides.
Yen noted that the DPP has agreed to recognize the country's title as the Republic of China in accordance with the Constitution.
In 1999 the DPP, seeking to woo swing voters during last year's presidential election, toned down its pro-independence rhetoric by adopting a document called "the Resolution on Taiwan's Future."
The resolution calls for any change to Taiwan's status to be decided by a plebiscite.
"The cross-strait stalemate stems from Beijing's refusal to acknowledge the existence of the ROC," Yen said.
Echoing President Chen Shui-bian (
"It should be treated as an issue at the negotiating table rather than a precondition for resuming dialogue as Beijing has insisted," Yen said.
He warned that acceptance of the "one China" principle by Taiwan would lead the world to view cross-strait disputes as "domestic" in nature.
Still, he voiced support for an engagement approach to improving trade ties between the two sides.
To achieve that goal, DPP lawmaker Chang Chun-hung (
Chang, who just returned from a trip to China, said further delay would put the country in a less favorable bargaining position, as the giant neighbor has made remarkable economic progress.
"It is urgent that Taiwan adopt a more proactive policy toward China or it will soon lose its economic advantage," cautioned the DPP legislator.
Chang also said that over the years legal restrictions have only served to punish law-abiding entrepreneurs, as the government has failed to prevent many local investors from moving their businesses across the Strait.
Official statistics show that more than 50,000 businesses in China are owned by Taiwanese businessmen, with a total capitalization amounting to roughly US$60 billion.
Chang said he was aware his opinion would draw criticism from some members of his party, but that he would not back down from playing the role of "a prophet."
Taking a step further, lawmaker Shen Fu-hsiung (
Shen, who has proposed a commonwealth between Taiwan and China to resolve the cross-strait entanglement, said he was personally receptive to the "one China, different interpretations" consensus reportedly struck by bilateral envoys.
"If Beijing allows for different interpretations of `one China' and promises to be consistent when addressing the issue at home and abroad, we may as well uphold the so-called 1992 consensus, existing or not," Shen said.
The DPP has actually been more flexible and pragmatic than China and the opposition, Shen said, advising the president to make reconciling the opposition parties his top agenda item after the year-end elections.
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