Frustrated over the media's incorrect news reports on Taiwan-US relations, as well as politicians' unsubstantiated remarks about President Chen Shui-bian (
The three-pronged war refers to Beijing's strategy of using psychological warfare, the media and its legal system, with the aim to destabilize Taiwan.
"I think the result of Taiwan being exceedingly free has, to a certain extent, allowed Beijing's three-pronged warfare to take its effect [in Taiwan]," the vice president said during a press conference yesterday held at the Presidential Office. "We, our own people, ought to be careful and not help Beijing fight the three-pronged war against Taiwan."
Lu made the remarks with reference to the recent brouhaha concerning comments made by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage during an interview on The Charlie Rose Show on the PBS network.
After picking up the story days after the interview was first aired on Dec. 10, many domestic media outlets in Taiwan reported Armitage as saying in the interview that he "admitted Taiwan is `probably the biggest landmine' in Washington's ties with Beijing."
Opposition parties subsequently picked the story up and used it to pan the Chen administration. Opposition members slammed Chen for leading Taiwan onto a bumpy road in its relations with the US.
"[Armitage] was responding to an interview question asking him where the `landmines' in China's rise were. That was when he commented `Taiwan was probably the biggest,'" the vice president said.
Lu pulled out a copy of the interview's transcript to support her statements.
According to the transcript, the question which Rose asked was "Where is the -- landmines -- in terms of China's rise and the United States?"
In response, said the transcript, Armitage stated that "I would say Taiwan. Taiwan is one. It's probably the biggest."
"If you were to read it carefully from its context, it was clear that Armitage's statement on Taiwan being a landmine was meant to in terms of China's rise and not in terms of US-China relations," Lu said.
"Our reporters stationed in Washington still chose to use the most sensational term [in their reporting], which apparently turned out to be quite different from what Armitage really was saying," Lu said.
Stating her belief that the English-language ability of the Washington-based correspondents is better than hers, Lu attributed the reporters' interpretation of Armitage's comments to "a lack of consciousness about who the enemy is."
The vice president went on and expressed her views on recent Taiwan-US relations.
Lu said the fact that the president can't make a direct visit in the US is a major problem preventing smoother Taiwan-US relations.
"If there is tension in the relations between Taiwan and the US, it should not be left for the president to shoulder alone," Lu said. "Isn't the team, as well as the Washington-based diplomats, who for the past four years have provided information and suggestions to the president about US-related issues, responsible as well?"
"If we ought to review [Taiwan-US relations], the whole team needs to engage in self-criticism on this matter," Lu added.
The vice president however, declined to elaborate who were the ones she implied should be responsible for the recent problems with Taiwan-US relations.
‘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
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
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
RSS