President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) will support the continuing development of cross-strait ties.
Speaking at the party’s 18th Central Advisory Council meeting, Ma reiterated that the improvement of ties with China has had a significant impact on Taiwan and that maintaining bilateral relations would be an indispensa
Though there is still room for debate over how close Taiwan’s relations with China should be, there is no doubt that ties must be developed, he said.
Ma also reiterated his support for using the so-called “1992 consensus” to “uphold basic constitutional principles while developing cross-strait relations.”
The “1992 consensus” refers to a supposed understanding reached during a meeting in Hong Kong in 1992 between Taiwanese and Chinese representatives, under which both sides acknowledged that there was only one China, with each side having its own interpretation of what “one China” means.
The Democratic Progressive Party insists that the “1992 consensus” does not exist and that it was fabricated by then-Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起).
Su admitted in 2006 that he had created the term in 2000, shortly before then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was inaugurated, with the aim of giving the two sides of the Taiwan Strait a “basis for dialogue.”
Ma said the government had adopted a moderate policy to cope with the financial crisis and economic recession to allow Taiwan’s economy to gradually rebound. He said the country’s economic indicators would move into positive territory in the fourth quarter this year.
Ma highlighted the improved economic prospects created by closer economic ties with China, pointing to an announcement on Saturday by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co chairman Morris Chang (張忠謀) that his firm would give each employee a special bonus next month equivalent to half-a-month’s pay.
>
Chang also praised Ma for making an important contribution to normalizing cross-strait ties, which he said could create more opportunities for local businesses.
Earlier yesterday, Ma visited Yilan County to inspect areas affected by Tropical Storm Parma. However, he distanced himself from Yilan County Commissioner Lu Kuo-hua (呂國華) by not showing up at Lu’s campaign office.
Lu has been harshly criticized for his poor performance in dealing with the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot in August.
Next Magazine has also alleged that Lu pocketed NT$22 million (US$680,000) from the contractor of the Yilan Green Expo project. Next claimed that prosecutors had launched an investigation in June last year.
Lu has denied the allegation and vowed to resign and withdraw from the election if he was found guilty.
He also downplayed Ma’s absence yesterday. However, Ma did attend an evening rally for Changhua County Commissioner Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源), who is also seeking re-election in Dec. 5 elections.
SEND A MESSAGE: Sinking the amphibious assault ship, the lead warship of its class, is meant to show China the US Navy is capable of sinking their ships, an analyst said The US and allied navies plan to sink a 40,000-tonne ship at the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise to simulate defeating a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan. This year’s RIMPAC — the 29th iteration of the world’s largest naval exercise — involves the US, 28 partners, more than 25,000 personnel, 40 warships, three submarines and more than 150 aircraft operating in and around Hawaii from yesterday to Aug. 1, the US Navy said in a press release. The major components of the event include multidomain warfare exercises in multiship surface engagements, anti-submarine warfare and multi-axis defense of a carrier strike
Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China when traveling in countries with close ties to Beijing, Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said on Friday. Chen’s comments came after China on Friday last week announced new judicial guidelines targeting Taiwanese independence advocates. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Djibouti are among the countries where Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China, he said. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday elevated the travel alert for China, Hong Kong and Macau to “orange” after Beijing announced its guidelines to “severely punish Taiwanese independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession.” Extradition treaties
The airspace around Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to be closed for an hour on July 25 and July 23 respectively, due to the Han Kuang military exercises, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The annual exercise is to be held on Taiwan proper and its outlying islands from July 22 to 26. During last year’s exercise, the military conducted anti-aircraft landing drills at the Taoyuan airport for the first time, for which a one-hour no-fly ban was issued. Based on a live-fire bulletin sent out by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the nation’s
Taiwan and Thailand have signed an agreement to promote and protect bilateral investment and trade, the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) said on Friday. The agreement on “Promotion and Protection of Investments” was signed by Representative to Thailand Chang Chun-fu (張俊福) and Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei executive director Narong Boonsatheanwong on Thursday, the OTN said in a news release. Thailand has become the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since 2016, following earlier agreements with the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Canada, the OTN said. The deal marks a significant milestone in the development of