President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Monday repeated his promise not to declare independence or amend the Constitution provided China does not use military force against Taiwan.
"I have repeated on numerous occasions, notably in 2000 and 2004, that as long as China does not use force against Taiwan, I will stick to my `four noes and one without' pledge," he said.
"Regrettably, from 2000 up to the present, China has increased fourfold the number of ballistic missiles deployed along its southeastern coast and targeted at Taiwan," he said.
Chen made the remarks in an interview with Le Figaro, a French newspaper, on Monday.
The interview was featured in a full-page article, "Chen Shui-bian: China has never renounced the use of force against Taiwan," in yesterday's edition.
The "status quo" had been unilaterally undermined by China, Chen said, but the administration and the Taiwanese were determined to safeguard the nation's democracy, freedom and human rights, as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
"When I announced on Feb. 27 that the National Unification Council would cease to function, I made a seven-point statement which was aimed at ensuring that the `status quo' would be maintained," he said.
Referring to the increasing number of missiles that China has aimed at Taiwan, Chen said Bei-jing's military budget had experienced double-digit growth annually since the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
In a bid to counter Beijing's military buildup, Chen said it was important for the legislature to pass the long-stalled arms procurement package.
The president said there could be a breakthrough soon in this regard, because opposition parties were beginning to reach a consensus on the issue.
Chen told Le Figaro it was impossible for Taiwan to unite with China in the foreseeable future because it was inconceivable that Beijing would abandon authoritarian rule and allow China to become a democratic country.
"We do not rule out uniting with China in the future. But ultimate unification with China cannot be set as the only option for the [Taiwanese]," Chen said.
With the consent of the Tai-wanese public, Chen said, closer political relations would be possible if China became a democratic country, abandoned its one-party authoritarian regime, ceased its political and economic oppression of Taiwan, publicly relinquished the use of military force against the nation, dismantled its missiles aimed at the country, repealed its "Anti-Secession" Law, and respected the rights of the Taiwanese.
On the question of constitutional reform, Chen reiterated that any amendments would have to follow due procedure.
"[Constitutional reform] is a difficult undertaking, but if the social environment is ripe, the legislature reaches a consensus and the people support such a move, nothing is impossible," he said.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
RSS