In response to Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan's (唐家璇) scolding of a reporter for using the term "Communist China," Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Tzu-dan (吳子丹) said yesterday that Tang has always suffered from a "serious problem" with language.
"I feel so sorry for this," said Wu, while explaining to lawmakers the government's decision not to attend the APEC leader's summit. "However, it is ridiculous for a Foreign Minister to act like this at an international event."
"`Communist China' has been a term we've used to refer to the Beijing government for decades. It is a term that most people use. We won't say that it is synonymous for the Chinese Communists or China because the Beijing government never made any formal announcement to confirm it. But, it is obvious that Mr. Tang didn't realize the actual definition of the phrase before he so rudely scolded the lady reporter at the press conference," added Wu.
Tang corrected a PowerTV reporter for using the term "Communist China" -- which he labeled a throwback to the Cold War -- in her question at a press conference during the APEC leader's summit last week. He said that "Communist China" is now "a phrase relegated to history. Everybody knows that there is only one China in the world which is the People's Republic of China."
Wu also said that Tang's statement is untrue and inaccurate because the Chinese Communists still exist.
"If they don't like it, maybe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should consider calling them the PRC directly" said DPP Legislator Parris Chang (
"The Chinese Government did not follow the rules and send out an official invitation to us," said Wu. "In fact, they just xeroxed an invitation from another country and sent it to us without an addressee. This is extremely rude."
New Party Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (
"If they don't send us an official invitation, then we won't have to assign anyone to the summit or let them know who our official representative is," said Lai. "I think this is what we should do when they fail to show us the proper amount of respect."
Lin Chong-pin (林中斌), vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, who also presented a report to the committee, indicated that the Chinese Government is hoping to improve its poor relationship with the US.
"China always tries to ally with the US against Taiwan," said Lin. "For instance, the Chinese Government officially showed its supports toward the US on Sept. 12, the day after the terrorist attack on New York, while many of the Chinese people were `celebrating' the attack because they hate Americans."
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent
Seven hundred and sixty-four foreigners were arrested last year for acting as money mules for criminals, with many entering Taiwan on a tourist visa for all-expenses-paid trips, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said on Saturday. Although from Jan. 1 to Dec. 26 last year, 26,478 people were arrested for working as money mules, the bureau said it was particularly concerned about those entering the country as tourists or migrant workers who help criminals and scammers pick up or transfer illegally obtained money. In a report, officials divided the money mules into two groups, the first of which are foreigners, mainly from Malaysia
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
RSS