Legislators from across party lines yesterday issued a joint statement demanding a formal apology from the Philippine government for the killing of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成). Lawmakers also criticized Philippine President Benigno Aquino III for approaching the dispute from the perspective of its “one China” policy as the deadline of a 72-hour ultimatum that Taiwan gave the Philippines to meet the requests passed at midnight yesterday.
In the statement, the party caucuses of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the People First Party and the Taiwan Solidarity Union echoed the four demands made by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration that Manila issue a formal apology, compensate Hung’s family, investigate the incident to identify and punish the perpetrators and initiate negotiations on a bilateral fisheries agreement.
KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) described the Philippines as “a thug who can’t learn lessons unless he is beaten” and urged the government to present stronger measures against Manila and “do whatever it takes to seek justice.”
Photo: Chang Chung-i, Taipei Times
Philippine Coast Guard personnel committed “an act of piracy” when they opened fire on an unarmed Taiwanese fishing boat and killed Hung, 65, on Thursday, DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) said.
Yeh said Ma should immediately call an international press conference to present the case to the international community.
With the public’s outrage against the Philippines still strong, politicians called for Taiwanese to refrain from involving Filipino migrant workers in the matter and engaging further in the cyberwar being waged against Manila.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said that resorting to populist measures would not lead to a solution.
“This is a diplomatic affair, not a gangster fight,” Wang said.
Former deputy minister of foreign affairs Michael Kao (高英茂) also called for calm and for a stop to talk of an all-out war, which would destabilize the region.
However, Ma has no one to blame but himself for Aquino’s emphasis on the “one China” policy, because it was Ma who said Taiwan-China relations are “region-to-region,” not state-to-state, Kao said.
Ma’s ultimatum was the wrong strategy, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said.
“His kindness to the enemy has turned into brutality against his own people,” Lu said, adding that Ma should have stepped up the pressure against the Philippines during its election season.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS