Responding yesterday to the uproar over his visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine during his Japan trip, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (
"Those I paid homage to at the Yasukuni Shrine are Taiwanese people's ancestors who died in a foreign land," Shu said.
"The last thing I would do is to recognize militarism," the TSU leader said.
"Those political parties and figures who criticized me should consider how much they did for their ancestors who are buried in a foreign land," he said.
Shu made the remarks yesterday morning at a TSU press conference welcoming 100 new members to the party.
The new TSU recruits gave Shu a bouquet of flowers and voiced support for him.
Shu and eight fellow TSU members came back from Japan on Tuesday evening and were greeted by hostile protesters, led by Aboriginal Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei (
When heading for the airport exit, Shu was manhandled by an angry mob.
"I believe that TSU's growth and maturity depends on the support of Taiwanese people and their identification with Taiwan," Shu said.
"I used to be in the military, so I wasn't intimidated by the protesters," he added.
At yesterday's TSU press conference, members of the pro-unification Patriot Association (
Shu said that his visit to Japan focused mainly on strengthening cooperation between Taiwan and Japan with regard to international security, and he felt sorry that some people distorted the intent of his visit into a tribute to Japanese militarism.
"It is ironic that some political parties to stigmatize my visit to Japan, yet justify their collaboration with China," Shu said.
"China has 700 missiles pointed at Taiwan ... they are the ones who embrace militarism," he said.
TSU spokesman Chen Chien-ming (
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
"China's `Anti-Secession' Law is aimed at resolving the `Taiwan issue' with `non-peaceful means,'" Lee said.
"This has aroused concern from the international community about China expanding its military capabilities. I think that's a point that people should pay attention to," he said
"According to the DPP's policy, we aim to settle disputes with peaceful means, not force. We oppose militarism of any kind," Lee said.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Saturday that she would not be intimidated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), following reports that Chinese agents planned to ram her car during a visit to the Czech Republic last year. "I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety," Hsiao said on social media platform X. "The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she wrote. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic on March 18 last year as vice president-elect and met with Czech Senate leadership, including
RSS