Both the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday vowed to continue pushing for their versions of a UN referendum despite discouraging remarks by the US on Thursday denying Taiwanese statehood.
Party heavyweights from the two parties joined in their condemnation of US senior director for East Asian affairs at the National Security Council Dennis Wilder's statement that Taiwan is "not a state."
"Taiwan is definitely a nation. If over 60 percent of the people support Taiwanese independence in the referendum, the world will recognize Taiwan. Only the referendum can save the country," Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday after attending a party event in Taipei.
PHOTO: LIAO YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Yu said the DPP's UN referendum bid to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" was in preparation for the party's intention to hold a referendum on Taiwanese independence. He then lashed out at the US for being an "irresponsible country" that promotes democracy and freedom but opposes Taiwan's right to hold referendums.
In response to the US' opposition to the UN referendum bid, KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yih (
"The KMT will push for its version of the UN referendum bid regardless of US and Chinese pressure. Even if the DPP withdraws its version, the KMT will continue in its efforts," KMT spokesman Su Jun-pin (
KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday blamed the strong US reaction on the DPP's attempt to push for the bid to enter the UN under the name "Taiwan," arguing that it was still possible for the country to be recognized in the international community under the name "Republic of China (ROC).
"The US treats the ROC as a foreign government in the Taiwan Relation Act (
Ma's remarks drew harsh criticism from the DPP's Frank Hsieh (
"Ma has previously said that Taiwan has political sovereignty. His remarks highlight his lack of faith in himself and the country," Hsieh said.
"Taiwan has its own judicial system, budget, army and legislature, and it elects its own president. Of course it is a nation," he said.
The Government Information Office (GIO), meanwhile, launched a Web site promoting the nation's UN bid yesterday.
"We welcome everybody who cares about this issue to visit the Web site and show their support," Cabinet spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said. "The site offers a little game and whoever plays it the most will win a gift from the GIO after the activity concludes on Oct. 1."
Among the prizes are an iPod, two iPod nanos, three New York Yankee pitcher Wang Chien-min (
In addition to online games, visitors to www.taiwanunme.tw/ch can access all related documents, such as the history, news articles and analysis concerning Taiwan's UN bid over the years.
Shieh said the government has spent NT$20 million (US$610,000) abroad promoting the UN bid and NT$830,000 domestically.
"We have a NT$30 million budget for this year and we will make every penny count," Shieh said.
Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang
‘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