Saying that cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties is the first step for Taiwan to pursue ethnic harmony, political reconciliation and cross-strait peace, President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen made the remarks while addressing the opening of the "Shih Ming-teh (施明德 ) Seminar" at National Taiwan University's Political Science Department yesterday.
The department yesterday officially launched a series of lectures by the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman. The lectures' themes are ethnic harmony, political reconciliation and cross-strait peace.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen said the three themes set by the lecture are Shih's goals and also the common wish of the Taiwanese people.
"I hope Mr. Shih will continue influencing political figures and organize a coffee gathering of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Shih brought up the idea of having a so-called "reconciliation coffee" in 1995, in a bid to seek cooperation with the New Party over the election of the legislative speaker.
In his speech yesterday, Chen said that tensions jeopardizing ethnic harmony in Taiwan can be attributed to the 228 Incident in 1947, adding that everlasting pain regarding cases of injustice during the 38-year Martial Law era until 1987 remain.
On political reconciliation, Chen said that amending the Constitution is the only way to end the current political stalemate. Touching on cross-strait peace, Chen told the audience that strengthening national defense should be a common interest for all people in Taiwan, including political leaders.
Aside from Chen, other guests invited to give speeches at the opening ceremony included Ma, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
After the opening ceremony, however, Ma told the media that he did not see the need to have coffee with Chen.
"Chen attributes unsolved ethnic problems to the 228 Incident, political strife to the existing governmental system, and cross-strait disputes to China's denying the existence of Taiwan as a country. On this basis, I don't think it's easy for us to reach any agreement regarding harmony, reconciliation and peace," Ma said.
The PFP caucus yesterday also rejected Chen's proposal to invite Soong to have "reconciliation coffee."
"We will recommend that Chairman Soong decline the invitation," PFP caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (
When asked whether his caucus still insists on demanding an apology from Chen, Hwang said that was something that was beyond his power.
The caucus has demanded an apology from the president, whom they said accused Soong of meeting the director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), during a trip to the US.
Instead of concentrating on something unrealistic, Hwang said, what his party can and will continue to do is do a good job as an opposition party.
"As a responsible opposition party, we will never support the arms-procurement plan and the organic bill of the national communications commission," he said. "Nor will we budge on the cross-strait peace advancement bill."
‘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 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
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
RSS