A consultative committee of the Mainland Affairs Council has urged the government to launch a “track two” dialogue with China in a bid to further exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
The suggestion was made at the first meeting of the committee since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office on May 20.
At the meeting, the attendees voiced concerns about the stalemate in exchanges between Taiwan and China since Tsai took office.
Cross-strait ties have been imbued by a sense of uncertainty following Tsai’s reluctance to recognize the so-called “1992 consensus.”
The “1992 consensus” — a term former council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Participants said that China’s internal political factors and economic conditions have also affected exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
The council said attendees at the meeting suggested that in addition to the current official dialogue platform, invitations should be extended to think tanks and academics across the Taiwan Strait to hold talks in a bid to facilitate cross-strait dialogue.
China is still pushing for exchanges in the private sector and is reaching out to young Taiwanese, attendees said.
Council Deputy Minister Lin Cheng-yi (林振義) said that the government continues to monitor cross-strait ties and would implement any measures needed to adapt to the challenge of the relationship.
Lin said that the government is determined to keep all communication channels open and to maintain the existing dialogue mechanism and would keep its China policy consistent, predictable and sustainable.
EVA Air is prohibiting the use of portable chargers on board all flights starting from Saturday, while China Airlines is advising passengers not to use them, following the lead of South Korean airlines. Current regulations prohibit portable chargers and lithium batteries from check-in luggage and require them to be properly packed in carry-on baggage, EVA Air said. To improve onboard safety, portable chargers and spare lithium batteries would be prohibited from use on all fights starting on Saturday, it said. Passengers are advised to fully charge electronic devices before boarding and use the AC and USB charging outlets at their seat, it said. South
Hong Kong-based American singer-songwriter Khalil Fong (方大同) has passed away at the age of 41, Fong’s record label confirmed yesterday. “With unwavering optimism in the face of a relentless illness for five years, Khalil Fong gently and gracefully bid farewell to this world on the morning of February 21, 2025, stepping into the next realm of existence to carry forward his purpose and dreams,” Fu Music wrote on the company’s official Facebook page. “The music and graphic novels he gifted to the world remain an eternal testament to his luminous spirit, a timeless treasure for generations to come,” it said. Although Fong’s
WAR SIMULATION: The developers of the board game ‘2045’ consulted experts and analysts, and made maps based on real-life Chinese People’s Liberation Army exercises To stop invading Chinese forces seizing Taiwan, board gamer Ruth Zhong chooses the nuclear option: Dropping an atomic bomb on Taipei to secure the nation’s freedom and her victory. The Taiwanese board game 2045 is a zero-sum contest of military strategy and individual self-interest that puts players on the front lines of a simulated Chinese attack. Their battlefield game tactics would determine the theoretical future of Taiwan, which in the real world faces the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. “The most interesting part of this game is that you have to make continuous decisions based on the evolving situation,
China’s military buildup in the southern portion of the first island chain poses a serious threat to Taiwan’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, a defense analyst warned. Writing in a bulletin on the National Defense and Security Research’s Web site on Thursday, Huang Tsung-ting (黃宗鼎) said that China might choke off Taiwan’s energy supply without it. Beginning last year, China entrenched its position in the southern region of the first island chain, often with Russia’s active support, he said. In May of the same year, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) force consisting of a Type 054A destroyer, Type 055 destroyer,
RSS