Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) told lawmakers yesterday that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) calling President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Monday may not necessarily legalize his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and any potential agreements he might ink with Hu in Beijing.
"He said he will call the president and talk about this matter. Well, by law, calling the president and gaining authorization from the government are two totally different scenarios," Hsieh said.
"His promise to call the president before taking off for China is a polite and friendly move. We welcome and appreciate that. However, it has nothing to do with obeying the law," the premier said.
Hsieh comments were in response to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Chao-lung's (陳朝龍) question about whether Lien's promise to call the president would be regarded as having gained authorization from the government.
According to the Act Governing Relations Between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例), anyone who wishes to represent Taiwan in agreements or other arrangements with the Chinese government must first obtain authorization from the Mainland Affairs Council.
"Talking to the president is not equal to gaining authorization from the council," Hsieh said.
He reiterated that any citizen's plan -- including Lien and People First Party Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) -- to travel anywhere in the world would be accepted and approved by the government except for members of the police, the military and others who are banned for traveling to China.
"To be precise, the government will not interfere with anyone's travel plans as long as it does not concern the nation," Hsieh said.
"We, therefore, will definitely not interfere Lien's or Soong's plans or ban them from traveling. That would be totally illegal," he said.
Hsieh said that Lien's promise to call the president is simple politeness to the government and the country, since Lien is the chairman of an important political party.
"His promise shows that he recognizes and respects the president, the government and the country. We are glad and appreciate it," Hsieh said.
During his conversation with lawmakers, Hsieh urged the public to consider why the Chinese government would welcome Taiwan's politicians to visit China at this point in time.
"After our March 26 rally against their `Anti-Secession' Law, there has been a great pressure on the Chinese government, forcing it to show a sincere and friendly attitude toward the Taiwanese people," the premier said. "We must be careful of that."
‘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 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
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
RSS