The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has extended an invitation to People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
During an interview taped Friday with the TVBS news station, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), the director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, invited Soong to visit China in his role as PFP chairman. He did not specify a time for when Soong should visit.
The previous invitation from Jia Qinglin (
"Since the founding of the PFP, it has been staunchly against Taiwanese independence and has recognized the `1992 consensus.' Over the years it has facilitated cross-strait interactions and advocated the establishment of three direct transportation links," Chen said. "It has done many things to increase communication between both sides of the Strait and in various other areas."
"In his invitation [to Lien], Jia was also extending the invitation to any other political party chairman who recognize the `1992 consensus' and oppose Taiwan's independence. We welcome the PFP to form a delegation and come to China on a visit. At the same time, we also welcome Mr. James Soong, in his capacity as PFP chairman, to come to China at a time that he finds suitable," he added.
Chen's interview echoed an a statement he had made on Friday, in which he also indicated that Jia's invitation to Lien was also open to Soong.
The original invitation to Lien was made by Jia when he was meeting with the KMT delegation to China, headed by KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (
The PFP issued a statement yesterday saying it had no comment on the invitation.
However, in a text message sent to the media yesterday, the PFP said that the invitation from Jia was confirmation of Soong's efforts to steer the Democratic Progressive Party away from its independence leanings.
The PFP has always used a humble and pragmatic approach cross-strait relations efforts, the statement said.
The PFP also praised the 10-point consensus Soong and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) reached in late February. They also praised the "four points" laid out by Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) in his March 4 speech as "a voice of pragmatism and reason" in the current cross-strait political situation.
The agreement hammered out by the KMT and the CCP during their recent trip to China did not go outside the boundaries of the Chen-Soong consensus, the text message said.
Chen and Soong agreed in their consensus that the Republic of China represented "common ground" and reiterated Chen's "four noes" pledge. Hu's March 4 speech stated China's adherence to its "one China" principle and opposition to Taiwan's independence.
The PFP feels that the most important matter at hand is to establish an institutional basis for cross-strait peace by finishing the legislative procedures needed to pass the "Taiwan Peace Law," the message said.
At the legislature yesterday, PFP caucus whip Chen Chih-bin (
‘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 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
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