Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday urged his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival Ma Ying-jeou (
There are many ways to exert pressure on China over its bloody crackdown on Tibet, Hsieh said, including the KMT pulling its investments out of China, abandoning the "one China" principle, relinquishing the "one China market" idea and dropping the idea of unification.
"Ma Ying-jeou should work with me and stand on the side of freedom and democracy," Hsieh said. "Instead of sacrificing the interests of others, he should sacrifice his personal interests and those of his family."
PHOTO: AP
The DPP candidate said some people had asked him whether Taiwan should boycott the Beijing Olympics if Ma is elected president, and he said the answer was simple.
"Just don't elect him," he said.
While a national leader should remain calm in times of trouble, Hsieh said, it seemed Ma was at wits' end and frequently flip-flopped on issues.
PHOTO: AFP
Hsieh said Ma was treating the Tibet issue as if it were a "trifling matter."
"It is a national affair. What would happen to this country if he were elected president?" Hsieh said.
He said that Ma had accused him of taking advantage of the incident by showing his concern for Tibetans, but then Ma had later followed suit.
Ma then proposed boycotting the Olympics, but then attached a precondition after his remarks were criticized, Hsieh said.
"Ma's comments are unwise and it is wrong to throw cold water on athletes' hopes," Hsieh said. "It just shows that he is inexperienced in national affairs and that he makes decisions in a hasty manner."
While a boycott of the Games by the rest of the world might exert pressure on China, this might not be the case if Taiwan kept its team at home, he said.
"China would be happy if we don't participate," he said. "If they manage to lure our athletes onto their teams, they can tell the world that Taiwan is part of China."
Meanwhile, Hsieh's campaign team urged Ma to relinquish the "one China market," forgo the ultimate goal of unification with China and support the DPP's referendum on joining the UN under the name "Taiwan," instead of talking about an Olympic boycott.
Hsieh spokesman Shen Fa-hui (
Shen said Ma should clearly state whether he would accept the "one China" principle, and how he expects to carry out his campaign promises if he does not.
Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦), another Hsieh spokesman, called on Ma to apologize for his "improper" comments on Tibet.
Chang said Ma owed the public four apologies: First, for accusing the Hsieh team of taking advantage of the crackdown but then later attending a vigil to commemorate those who have lost their lives in the violence.
Second, for saying that it was "not a good time" for China to crack down on Tibet and third, for saying that it was unclear who should be held responsible for the unrest, Chang said.
Finally, Ma should apologize for saying that he would like to see the KMT youth corps cultivate someone like Chinese President Hu Jintao (
Meanwhile, a former diplomat yesterday denounced the KMT's "cross-strait common market" idea as being economically and politically unfeasible.
Lu Chao-chong (魯肇忠), a former envoy to the US and EU, said the "common market" idea was similar to the European Economic Community, which had the ultimate goal of unification and integration of its member states.
Lu said he wondered if the KMT candidates wanted to use the idea of a common market to pave the way for unification with China.
He also expressed concern over the possibility that the KMT would regain control of both the legislature and central government. It was too dangerous to let one party do whatever it pleases, he said.
In other developments, the DPP caucus said ensuring the referendums on UN entry passed would be more effective than a boycott of the Beijing Olympics.
"Freedom and democracy are what Tibetans expect. If we can assure that freedom and democracy are ensconced in Taiwan, it will be the best encouragement for them," DPP caucus whip Yeh Yi-ching (葉宜津) told a press conference at the caucus office yesterday.
"Do not forget that [Ma] is a `pro-China' politician. What has made him suddenly become so tough on China? The answer is the election, it is all about winning the election," DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (
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
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