While conducting cross-strait negotiations at this juncture would be difficult, dialogue remains Taiwan's ultimate long-term goal, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu (
Wu indicated while delivering a speech at Waseda University yesterday that given the recent passage of Beijing's "Anti-Secession" Law, it would be difficult for negotiations to take place at this point in time, but assured that it would be the goal of the council's efforts in the future.
If both sides actively cooperate, the probability of success in discussing the politics of lasting peace increases, Wu said.
The Central News Agency reported from Tokyo yesterday that a crowd of roughly one hundred students was present at Wu's lecture, titled "Cross-strait relations and Taiwan's China Policy After the Anti-Secession Law."
Wu said that the goal of Taiwan's efforts was to secure goodwill, a peaceful resolution, active cooperation and lasting peace. Wu added, however, that while Beijing's Anti-Secession Law, which authorizes the use of force against Taiwan to check what it determines to be secessionist activity, had already gravely damaged cross-strait ties and Taiwan would continue to closely monitor China's moves. He reiterated that Taiwan would not give up on its goals of peaceful dialogue and peace across the Taiwan Strait.
Wu said that Beijing's military build-up was a threat to not only Taiwan but the entire East Asian region. He also noted that the crux of cross-strait conflict was in the diplomatic arena, with China using various measures to ensure Taiwan's diplomatic isolation.
Wu told his Japanese audience that various issues needed to be negotiated between Taiwan and China, naming cargo flights, monetary exchange, an agreement for the protection of the investment rights of Taiwanese businesspeople in China, financial management agencies, the avoidance of double taxation, cooperation on fighting crime and illegal immigration.
Wu left for Japan on Tuesday and is slated to return on Sunday.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
LITTORAL REGIMENTS: The US Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘island hopping’ strategy to counterattack Beijing’s area denial strategy The US Marine Corps (USMC) has introduced new anti-drone systems to bolster air defense in the Pacific island chain amid growing Chinese military influence in the region, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The new Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk 1 is being developed to counter “the growing menace of unmanned aerial systems,” it cited the Marine Corps as saying. China has constructed a powerful defense mechanism in the Pacific Ocean west of the first island chain by deploying weapons such as rockets, submarines and anti-ship missiles — which is part of its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy against adversaries — the
Eleven people, including actor Darren Wang (王大陸), were taken into custody today for questioning regarding the evasion of compulsory military service and document forgery, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. Eight of the people, including Wang, are suspected of evading military service, while three are suspected of forging medical documents to assist them, the report said. They are all being questioned by police and would later be transferred to the prosecutors’ office for further investigation. Three men surnamed Lee (李), Chang (張) and Lin (林) are suspected of improperly assisting conscripts in changing their military classification from “stand-by
RSS