Whether former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) should be allowed to visit Hong Kong next week is a highly difficult issue requiring political judgement, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Lin Cheng-yi (林正義) said yesterday, expressing confidence that Ma would not act against the Presidential Office’s pending decision.
Lin made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which discussed the potential impact of recent developments in East Asia on Taiwan and relevant countermeasures.
Fielding questions from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳), Lin said Ma’s application to make a one-day visit to Hong Kong on Wednesday is still being deliberated in accordance with the National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法).
The Presidential Office, the National Security Council and the Ministry of Justice are reviewing the application, Lin said.
“This is a highly difficult issue that requires political judgement and the process must be well-rounded,” Lin said, in response to Liu’s question about whether the government is leaning toward approving the application or rejecting it.
Lin said while President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration is still getting on track, he believes that government agencies would not wait until the last minute to If Ma is allowed to go, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong would ensure the dignity and security of the former president, he said.
“If Tsai’s government turns down Ma’s application, will Ma act against the decision and insist on going?” the lawmaker asked. “He certainly seems to have his mind set on going.”
Lin said he believes, as the former head of state for eight years, Ma should be fully aware of the law and the political sensitivity of the issue.
Ma is scheduled to attend the Society of Publishers in Asia Awards for Editorial Excellence ceremony, which is to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. He is due to give a speech in English on cross-strait relations and developments in East Asia at the event.
However, Ma is required by the National Security Information Protection Act to obtain the approval of the government body he used to work for at least 20 days before departing on an international trip within three years after leaving office.
Separately, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said he did not rule out any possible outcomes before government agencies complete their evaluation of the application.
“As the government body where Ma used to work, the office does not have a fixed position or any inclinations on the matter,” Huang said.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS