Beijing’s retaliation for the government’s approval of the visit of the Dalai Lama may not be as simple as suspending cross-strait exchanges, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday.
MAC Deputy Minister Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) said the public must not simply look at the changes to cross-strait exchanges to judge the impact of the Buddhist leader’s visit because many elements must be factored in.
To suspend cross-strait exchanges was indeed one way for Beijing to express its frustration, Liu said, but the public must look at the whole picture before jumping to any conclusions.
Liu was responding to questions about the possible impact of the visit of the spiritual leader of the Tibetan government in exile. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to leave today.
Li Yafei (李亞飛), assistant minister of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Monday that Beijing’s position on the Dalai Lama’s visit was resolute and that the trip was bound to have an adverse effect on cross-strait ties.
Li did not elaborate, adding that Beijing would continue to monitor developments during the visit.
On the same day the Dalai Lama arrived, regular cross-strait flights were officially launched, but airlines in both China and Taiwan decided to ditch their inauguration ceremonies and events celebrating the launch of the regular flight services.
China also announced that it would not attend the opening ceremony of the Taipei Deaflympics, which will be held tomorrow.
The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), however, had been clear about the nature of the visit, which was religious and humanitarian, Liu said. So far, the visit seemed to meet those objectives, he said, adding that he hoped Beijing would notice this.
“We hope his visit will not have any negative impact on cross-strait relations,” Liu said. “We really don’t know whether it will, but we will continue to watch developments closely.”
Meanwhile, Tourism Bureau Director General Janice Lai (賴瑟珍) said yesterday the visit of the Dalai Lama had caused some tour groups from China to cancel their scheduled trips.
Lai said the secretary of Jiangsu Province’s Communist Party has yet to confirm a visit next month and that the secretary was planning to bring approximately 2,000 staff and tourists.
“We have no idea if the group is still planning to come,” Lai said.
The bureau had also planned a visit from a group of Chinese travel agents to scout potential travel routes, however it has been postponed.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHELLEY SHAN
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators