To avoid further misunderstandings between Taiwan and the US, the Presidential Office on Monday briefed American Institute in Taiwan officials on President Chen Shui-bian's (
"We hope that the US government can gain a full understanding of the president's ideas in the shortest time instead of having misunderstandings conveyed to them through fragmented media reports," the source said.
Chen told reporters on Monday that the five noes promise made in his inauguration speech no longer applied because of China's military threats against Taiwan.
Chen said that in the three years since taking over the presidency, he had made many concessions to China, especially in tolerating an upsurge in the number of ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan.
"But I cannot keep making compromises without any principle," Chen said. "Therefore, if China launches any missile tests, I will formally announce that the five noes promise no longer exists."
The source said that the president's tough stance highlighted his resolution to hold a referendum alongside the presidential election next March, and was a warning to Beijing not to provoke Taiwan.
"The defensive referendum, which the president now calls a `peace referendum,' can in no way be withdrawn," the source said.
"The president has no intention of raising tensions between Taiwan and China, yet he cannot escape the media's concern over the five noes," the official said.
Presidential Office Secretary General Chiou I-jen (
"The president is making his thoughts and words clearer to the international community," Chiou said. "The president did not prepare to talk about the five noes, he was answering the media's question about the issue," Chiou said. "The good thing is that he made his ideas clearer."
Chiou said that the referendum would have no bearing on independence or reunification but was just a measure to secure the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
"It is the Taiwanese government's bottom line, and President Chen strictly abides by it."
"The US government doesn't like Taiwan's defensive referendum, but it has never opposed it and we understand the US government's line," Chiou said.
"Logically speaking, the five noes do not exist, but in practical terms, the president has abided by it with all his efforts to seek peace," Chiou said.
"Speaking frankly, the president can no longer abide by the five noes since China's actions have not meet Chen's request," Chiou said. "But the president would like to compromise. However, the compromise should not be without limits -- as soon as any missile is launched, the five noes will be revoked," he said.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
RSS