Frank Hsieh (
The meeting was notable for being the first time that a KMT leader has ever called upon the DPP, something that Lien pointed out while expressing his congratulations to Hsieh on the latter's inauguration as the DPP's ninth chairman.
At their meeting the two party leaders agreed to open more dialogue between the DPP and KMT and to accelerate the attainment of better interaction between parties in accordance with the principles of party politics.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
There was, however, no resolution of the issue that the meeting had actually been called to address, namely the KMT's participation in a round-table meeting of the heads of Taiwan's major political parties called by President Chen Shui-bian
Hsieh urged Lien to attend the meeting but the KMT chairman said that his attendance was dependent upon what issues were on the agenda. Lien, however, did say that KMT Secretary-General Lin Feng-cheng
Lien is scheduled to depart for the US today for a month-long trip.
"It is possible that the KMT is still hesitant about attending the round-table meeting," said Wu, speaking to the media after the Hsieh-Lien meeting.
"On the basis of Lien's remarks today, however, the presidential round-table meeting will probably proceed," he said.
During the 30-minute meeting, Lien also said that parties should have mutual respect and interact in a mature fashion, while Hsieh agreed that interaction carried out in good faith would be conducive to the eradication of emotional and ideological conflicts between rival parties.
"Dialogue and exchange has been undertaken by both parties on either side of the Taiwan Strait. So why not between political parties [in Taiwan]?" Hsieh said.
Others taking part in the Hsieh-Lien meeting from the KMT included party spokesman Jason Hu (
Participants from the DPP included central standing committee member Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), social promotion department director Lee Wen-ying (李文英) and spokeswoman Phoenix Cheng (鄭運鵬).
Some political analysts saw yesterday's meeting as an attempt to highlight the importance of party politics over the "government for all the people" (
"Political interaction is very important. The concept of `government for all the people' is based on the concept of party politics," the KMT's Chen said, hinting that the new government still needed the KMT's support.
Following his meeting with Lien, Hsieh visited the Presidential Office for his weekly Wednesday meeting with President Chen. He then returned to DPP headquarters and addressed reporters again.
"The concepts of party politics and `government for all the people' are not mutually exclusive," said Hsieh, quoting remarks reportedly just made to him by the president.
Hsieh said that the president was pleased to see that the DPP and KMT had met and he hoped that there would be more harmonious political interaction. Hsieh added that the president would assign acting Secretary-General to the President Chen Che-nan (
Hsieh met with New Party leader Hau Lung-bin (
On Monday Hsieh proposed a meeting with the PFP's Chairman James Soong
Soong has said he would welcome such dialogue.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
CHIPS AND DEFENSE: Trump said the US had lost its chip business and Taipei should pay it for defense, and added that ‘we’re no different than an insurance company’ Taiwan-US relations are solid, and both sides are in agreement that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region are everyone’s concern, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday following comments by former US president Donald Trump that Taiwan “should pay” for US defense. Taiwan is thankful to the US for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in international organizations, Cho told a news conference in Taipei. “I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100 percent of our chip business,” Trump told Bloomberg on June 25 in an interview that was published on Tuesday. “I think
SECURITY CONCERNS: An FBI agent said it was surprising that the shooter, whose motive remains unknown, was able to open fire before the Secret Service killed him On the heels of an apparent attempt to kill him, former US president Donald Trump yesterday called for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide recoiled from the shooting that left him injured, but “fine,” and the shooter and a rally-goer dead. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting His aides said he was in “great spirits” and doing well. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he