The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday traded barbs over the Double Ten National Day logo, which was unveiled yesterday.
New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), the KMT’s presidential candidate, accused the government of trying to “disappear” the rightful name of the country on the logo.
The visual theme for the National Day celebrations this year uses the Chinese character for “10” (“shi”, 十) twice, symbolizing Oct. 10, in the same colors as the national flag — red, blue and white. Beneath the logo is written “Democratic Taiwan, Resilient and Sustainable” and “2023 Taiwan National Day.”
Photo: CNA
The KMT said that since Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in 2016, the National Day celebrations have never included the words “Republic of China” (ROC).
Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), the spokesman for the campaign office of Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the DPP’s presidential candidate, said that instead of pointing fingers, the KMT should first ask itself if it dares “uphold and safeguard the Republic of China” in front of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
Chen also asked why, if the KMT is so patriotic, does it continue to tout the so-called “1992 consensus.”
The “1992 consensus,” a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000, refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Hou’s claims do not merit a response, as the DPP has headed the government twice since 2000 and the ROC stands firm, Chen said.
Taiwanese and the world have seen how the DPP has supported the ROC, he said.
It seems that the KMT is only paying lip service to its own beliefs and has not noticed the national flag flying over the Presidential Office during past National Day celebrations, he said.
DPP spokeswoman Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said the National Day theme focuses on the flag, which has become a symbol that has represented the country on many public occasions.
The KMT does a better job of hiding the flag when its officials visit China or when Chinese officials visit Taiwan, Lin said.
Hou’s comments are politically motivated, she said.
National Day Preparation Committee secretary-general Hua Ching-chun (花敬群) said that the title of the National Day event starts with “Republic of China,” so people should not say that the words are missing.
Snow fell in the mountainous areas of northern, central and eastern Taiwan in the early hours of yesterday, as cold air currents moved south. In the northern municipality of Taoyuan, snow started falling at about 6am in Fusing District (復興), district head Su Tso-hsi (蘇佐璽) said. By 10am, Lalashan National Forest Recreation Area, as well as Hualing (華陵), Sanguang (三光) and Gaoyi (高義) boroughs had seen snowfall, Su said. In central Taiwan, Shei-Pa National Park in Miaoli County and Hehuanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Nantou County saw snowfall of 5cm and 6cm respectively, by 10am, staff at the parks said. It began snowing
Global bodies should stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons, President William Lai (賴清德) told Pope Francis in a letter, adding that he agrees war has no winners. The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and Taipei has watched with concern efforts by Beijing and the Holy See to improve ties. In October, the Vatican and China extended an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, pointing to a new level of trust between the two parties. Lai, writing to the pope in response to the pontiff’s message on Jan. 1’s
HOLIDAY EXERCISE: National forest recreation areas from north to south offer travelers a wide choice of sights to connect with nature and enjoy its benefits Hiking is a good way to improve one’s health, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said, as it released a list of national forest recreation areas that travelers can visit during the Lunar New Year holiday. Taking a green shower of phytoncides in the woods could boost one’s immunity system and metabolism, agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) cited a Japanese study as saying. For people visiting northern Taiwan, Lin recommended the Dongyanshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taoyuan’s Fusing District (復興). Once an important plantation in the north, Dongyanshan (東眼山) has a number of historic monuments, he said. The area is broadly covered by
A Vietnamese migrant worker on Thursday won the NT$12 million (US$383,590) jackpot on a scratch-off lottery ticket she bought from a lottery shop in Changhua County’s Puyan Township (埔鹽), Taiwan Lottery Co said yesterday. The lottery winner, who is in her 30s and married, said she would continue to work in Taiwan and send her winnings to her family in Vietnam to improve their life. More Taiwanese and migrant workers have flocked to the lottery shop on Sec 2 of Jhangshuei Road (彰水路) to share in the luck. The shop owner, surnamed Chen (陳), said that his shop has been open for just