China's relentless efforts to cast Taiwan as a "troublemaker" among European countries have caused great damage to the country's interests, Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (
Wrapping up a confidential weeklong visit to several European countries, including France, Germany and Belgium, Wu encouraged government officials to intensify communication with European governments in order to convince them of Taiwan's serious pursuit of cross-strait peace.
"China has been insulting Taiwan without rest in Europe. Our government officials should travel to Europe and explain to the European society Taiwan's policy of pursuing peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait," Wu said.
Talking to reporters at a softball game between officials from the council and the Presidential Office yesterday morning, Wu described the trip as "highly sensitive" and said he could not reveal most details about his trip.
Wu told reporters in Berlin Saturday that he made the trip to Europe to make the Taiwanese government's stance known. He admitted, however, that not all nations he visited welcomed him.
"Some European leaders, for the sake of business interests, have made anti-Taiwan remarks when they met with Chinese officials. France is pretty adamant adhering to [French President Jacques] Chirac's `one China' policy," Wu said in Berlin.
Wu met with politicians, academics and think tank representatives during his trip to Europe.
"People I talked to showed understanding toward Taiwan's stance," he told reporters in Taipei.
European countries are considering whether to lift the arms embargo against China imposed fifteen years ago.
"France is clear it wants the ban removed. Germany's parliament recently passed a resolution to maintain the embargo," Wu said.
He pointed out that the resolution requested the German government ask Chinese authorities to improve the country's human rights record, peacefully resolve its problems with Taiwan and control arms proliferation.
"Under pressure from its parliament, I believe the German government would seriously consider the [arms embargo] issue. The EU cannot lift its arms embargo on China as long as some of its members oppose to the move," he added.
Commenting on US President George W. Bush's meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Chile, Wu said the US' cross-strait policy would not change for the foreseeable future.
Hu praised Bush's adherence to the "one China" policy, the Three Communiques and his opposition to Taiwan's independence. Bush did not make public comments on the Taiwan issue.
"The US will brief us on the contents on the Bush-Hu meeting through proper channels soon," Wu added.
He said Washington's cross-strait policy is unlikely to change after US Secretary of State Colin Powell steps down and is replaced by Condoleezza Rice.
"Rice understands cross-strait issues clearly," Wu said.
‘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
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
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
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
RSS