The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday urged Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) to take the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) pressure and coercion against Taiwan seriously, avoid endorsing its political agenda and steer clear of its “united front” tactics aimed at sowing division.
The council issued the statement after the KMT and China’s state-run Xinhua news agency said that Cheng had accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to visit China next week.
The CCP’s ambition to eliminate the Republic of China (ROC) and annex Taiwan would not change, regardless of any exchanges with Taiwanese parties or individuals, the MAC said.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
The agency also said that no group is authorized to negotiate political agreements with China or involve matters tied to government authority without official approval.
“We can aspire to peace, but we should not harbor illusions,” it said. “If peace is based solely on the goodwill of the CCP’s leadership, it would pose the greatest risk to Taiwan.”
Whether Cheng’s visit to China would include a meeting with Xi would only be known at the end of the trip, as the Beijing portion of the visit is scheduled for the final day, an official familiar with cross-strait affairs said.
Based on the CCP’s handling of other trips, a visitor must perform well in the early stages of their visit before being allowed to meet high-level officials on the last day, said the official, who declined to be named.
By arranging Cheng’s visit to China ahead of Xi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, Beijing was signaling that “the CCP has already secured the KMT” and might be using the visit to influence the Trump-Xi summit, the source said.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) criticized opposition lawmakers led by the KMT for blocking and obstructing the Executive Yuan’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.07 billion) special defense budget.
Beijing arranging for Cheng to visit amid stalled talks on the budget raised concerns that it is an attempt to “trade defense procurement for a Cheng-Xi meeting,” it said.
Cheng yesterday said that “the whole world follows a ‘one China’ policy and does not support Taiwanese independence, a consensus that reflects the expectations of Taiwan’s mainstream public opinion.”
DPP Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) criticized the statement, saying it mirrored those of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office.
“The consensus of Taiwanese is that the ROC and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other,” Lin said.
DPP policy committee executive director Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) added that in pursuit of a meeting with Xi, Cheng is willing to say anything.
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
Taiwan is concerned that China could exploit the US’ war in the Middle East, with state media citing examples from the conflict to cast doubt on the efficiency of US weapons Taiwan would use to repel an invasion. Taiwanese officials said the resumption of Beijing’s large-scale air force incursions near Taiwan after an unusual decline show that China wants to take advantage of the redeployment of US forces from East Asia to the Middle East. “This is a moment for China to exercise influence,” a senior Taiwanese security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “What China is trying to create is a
RSS