Foreign Affairs Minister Mark Chen (陳唐山) said Thursday that his ministry is working on strategies aimed at putting China's controversial "Anti-Secession" Law up for debate at the UN via Taiwan's diplomatic allies.
Chen said that Beijing has called on allied pro-China countries to push for a publicity drive on its enactment of the Anti-Secession Law, a piece of legislation which he said has triggered a "tidal wave" of opposition and concern worldwide.
To counter Beijing's lobbying efforts, Chen said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked out several strategies of its own, including sending Taiwanese publicity groups to important and influential countries to make the nation's stance more clearly known, and distributing President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) position papers through the nation's diplomatic missions overseas.
The ministry also hopes that cross-strait disputes that have arisen from the enactment of the law can be introduced the UN General Assembly for debate through Taiwan's diplomatic allies.
Regarding allegations that Beijing will make some concessions on the diplomatic front as a form of compensation to Taiwan after passing the legislation, the foreign affairs minister described this as wishful thinking.
Mark Chen added that if China is sincere in wanting to mend fences with Taiwan, it should help the nation improve its "living space" in the international community instead of giving Taiwan "tiny favors."
‘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 magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated