Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday that as neither unification with China nor independence are likely in the near future, Taiwan needs a "new" paradigm -- maintaining the status quo.
In an article entitled "Taiwan's Pragmatic Path" published in the Asian Wall Street Journal, Ma fleshed out the KMT's stance on the unification-independence controversy and the long-stalled arms procurement bill.
"The KMT believes that neither unification nor independence is likely for Taiwan in the foreseeable future and that therefore the status quo should be maintained. The island's [sic] future should be determined by its people, rather than the government," he wrote.
Ma criticized President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent Lunar New Year's Day message, in which Chen advocated abolishing the unification guidelines and pushing for another round of constitutional amendments. Ma said that Taiwan should not "rock the boat in regional waters."
"We should instead seek to advance the security and stability of the area," he said. "Taiwan, while it seeks to defuse tensions across the Taiwan Strait, should also demonstrate its determination to protect itself by maintaining adequate defensive capabilities."
In regard to the arms procurement bill, Ma called on all parties to refrain from making politically charged accusations.
"We should deal with it by weighing up four factors -- cross-strait relations, Taiwan's defensive needs, its financial capability and public opinion," he said.
In conclusion, Ma said that as opportunity and challenges exist side by side, the voyage ahead for Taiwan would be smoother and swifter with more "democracy, openness and pragmatism."
Earlier yesterday, Ma said that the KMT would not pass the arms procurement budget in April, and that after his party's version of the bill is released sometime later this month or in March, the KMT would start negotiations with other parties in the pan-blue alliance before holding discussions with the Democratic Progressive Party.
Asked to comment on his article, Ma said it had been aimed at promoting KMT policies.
"The KMT has insisted on a middle-of-the-road cross-strait policy, and I am hoping that the policy can be understood more internationally," he said after presiding over a Taipei municipal meeting.
Ma is expected to continue promoting the KMT's stance on cross-strait affairs during a 13-day trip to five European countries. Ma left Taiwan late last night to start his trip, which will see him visit Italy, Switzerland, the UK, Ireland and Belgium. He is scheduled to deliver a lecture on cross-strait relations at the London School of Economics on Monday.
‘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
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as
RSS