President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday announced the content of his referendum plan, which is to ask the people of Taiwan whether they would support enhancing the nation's defensive capabilities as well as negotiations with China about establishing peace and stability.
"I would hereby like to announce the questions that will be put to the people of Taiwan for the peace referendum on March 20," Chen said during a pre-recorded TV speech last night.
"The People of Taiwan demand that the Taiwan Strait issue be resolved through peaceful means. The first question is: `If China refuses to withdraw the missiles it has targeted at Taiwan and to openly renounce the use of force against us, would you agree that the government should acquire more advanced anti-missile weapons to strengthen Taiwan's self-defense capabilities?'" Chen said.
"And the second question is: `Would you agree that our government should engage in negotiations with China about the establishment of a "peace and stability" framework for cross-strait interactions in order to build consensus and for the welfare of the peoples on both sides?'" the president continued.
According to a government official the wording of the president's referendum question was finalized over the past few days, and the official English translation has been sent to members of the US government.
The government official, who declined to be identified, said yesterday that it was not necessary to get approval from or to discuss the wording of the president's referendum question with the US.
"Since both countries have long-term friendships, we informed the US government, and we are waiting for our friend's reaction," the source said.
During yesterday's TV speech, Chen said that while he has fully abided by the "five noes" promise of his inauguration speech, China has been increasing the number of missiles targeted at Taiwan and has been intensifying its military preparations for a possible attack.
"China's purpose is unquestionably obvious -- they aim to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait through undemocratic and non-peaceful means, rather than through working with us to maintain stability in the region," Chen said.
He said this was why a "peace referendum" would be an effective preventive measure, as it would help to increase people's awareness of and readiness for such a threat, while actively seeking to maintain the status quo.
Chen said he was still committed to reopening dialogue with China, saying that he would invite Beijing's representative to visit Taiwan to resume cross-strait negotiations.
"If I assume this office as the 11th president of the Republic of China, I will continue to strive to the fullest of my abilities to maintain the status quo and ensure the sovereignty, dignity and security of our country," Chen said.
"Furthermore, on the basis of maintaining the status quo, I will continue the proposed reengineering of our Constitution. Within the shortest possible time frame, we aim to invite China to appoint a representative to meet with our appointed envoy -- mindful of the democratic choice that has been made by the people of Taiwan -- to commence negotiations on the establishment of a `peace and stability' framework for cross-strait interactions," the president said.
A top-ranking government official said yesterday that the major significance of Chen's two referendum questions is that the government will have a mandate from the people to draw up its budget, which has been a continued obstacle to the Democratic Progressive Party government in the Legislative Yuan for the past three years.
"Moreover, the government will also have the mandate to shake hands with Beijing's leaders. Once we get the authority from a majority of the people in Taiwan, the international community will have to ask whether China has the guts to sit down with to talk with Taiwan," the official said.
DRONE CENTRAL: Taiwan aims to become Asia’s democratic hub for drones, with most exports focused on high-quality military-grade models, an official said Taiwan’s drone industry is expected to expand significantly by 2030, producing 100,000 units per month and exporting half of them, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. Current drone production capacity is about 15,000 units per month, but the industry can quickly scale up as demand increases, Industrial Development Administration Director-General Chiou Chyou-huey (邱求慧) told a news conference in Taipei. Taiwan’s drone output grew 2.5-fold last year to NT$12.9 billion (US$408.3 million) under a government program to develop the uncrewed vehicle sector, he said. The Executive Yuan in October last year approved plans to invest NT$44.2 billion into domestic production of uncrewed aerial
WARNING: China should stop engaging in actions that undermine regional peace and stability, as it would only build resentment among people across the Strait, the CGA said China has deployed more than 100 navy, coast guard and other vessels in waters from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea and the western Pacific since US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met in Beijing, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday. “In this part of the world, #China is the one & only PROBLEM wrecking the #StatusQuo & threatening regional peace & stability,” Wu wrote on X. In a separate post, he said Beijing was coercing Taiwan’s maritime domain, calling it illegal and provocative, after the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) expelled a
VERBOSE VESSELS: A CGA cutter and a China Coast Guard exchanged verbal barbs for more than a day in Taiwanese-controlled waters before the Chinese vessel left The Taiwanese and Chinese coast guards had a standoff near the strategically located Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) in the north of the South China Sea, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said yesterday. The two sides engaged in intense radio exchanges over sovereignty claims during the 33-hour standoff. China Coast Guard vessel 3501 eventually left the restricted waters, 26.6 nautical miles (49.2km) west of the Pratas Islands, at 5pm yesterday, the CGA said. Lying approximately between southern Taiwan and Hong Kong, the Taiwan-controlled Pratas are seen by some security experts as vulnerable to Chinese attack due to their distance — more than
More than 8,000 people took part in a rally in Taipei yesterday to express support for more defense spending, after the opposition slashed the Cabinet’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) special defense budget and capped it at NT$780 billion. The demonstrators urged the Cabinet to propose another bill. Taiwan Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強) said the main problem of the passed budget plan is the removal of funding for critical items, not just that the total amount is smaller. Critical budget items included purchasing or developing uncrewed vehicles, Strong Bow (強弓) missile systems, additional ammunition, artificial intelligence-powered combat systems and Taiwan-US
RSS