President Chen Shui-bian (
"The EU's experiences in integrating the nations of Europe sheds a lot of light on how Taiwan might conduct future relations with China. The reason the EU is successful is because the principles of voluntary participation, equality and peace are upheld, and that trade-based interactions serve as the initial approach to bringing European countries closer for further integration," Chen said yesterday in a meeting with French parliamentarian Alain Madelin in the Presidential Office.
Chen mentioned in his inauguration speech on May 20 that the EU model could be the approach used to address cross-strait issues based on "peaceful development and freedom of choice," a premise that could set relations in any form between Taiwan and China, as long as the consent of Taiwan's 23 million people is gained.
Madelin yesterday however pointed out a hindrance for the application of the EU model across the Taiwan Strait, as China has never forsaken the option of using force against Taiwan.
"The process of the European integration is based on the peaceful relations among all European countries. However, in the context of cross-strait relations, China has never given up the possibility of using force against Taiwan. Under such an entirely different situation, it will be very difficult for cross-strait relations to develop like the EU," Madelin was quoted as saying in a press release by the Presidential Office yesterday.
In addition, Chen yesterday drew comparisons between Taiwan's constitutional framework and dual-executive system -- or semi-presidential system -- and the French dual-executive system, in an effort to highlight the need to revamp the Constitution.
Chen said the reason the government is planning on revamping the Constitution is to revise the current constitutional system, a mixture between the presidential system and parliamentary system which has generated many problems and hinders the functioning of government system.
Chen said "although the design of Taiwan's constitutional framework takes part of its structure from the French dual-executive system, the copy of such a design is flawed, and leaves Taiwan's system as something that is neither a presidential system, parliamentary system, nor a French-style dual-executive system.
"This is why we need to conduct constitutional reengineering to solve this fundamental problem with our Constitution."
Madelin, also a lawyer, has 25 years of experience serving as a parliamentarian, cabinet minister and a member of the European Parliament. He is the founder of the French Liberal Democratic Party, of which he is the chairman.
LONG FLIGHT: The jets would be flown by US pilots, with Taiwanese copilots in the two-seat F-16D variant to help familiarize them with the aircraft, the source said The US is expected to fly 10 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70/72 jets to Taiwan over the coming months to fulfill a long-awaited order of 66 aircraft, a defense official said yesterday. Word that the first batch of the jets would be delivered soon was welcome news to Taiwan, which has become concerned about delays in the delivery of US arms amid rising military tensions with China. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the initial tranche of the nation’s F-16s are rolling off assembly lines in the US and would be flown under their own power to Taiwan by way
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
OBJECTS AT SEA: Satellites with synthetic-aperture radar could aid in the detection of small Chinese boats attempting to illegally enter Taiwan, the space agency head said Taiwan aims to send the nation’s first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite into space in 2027, while the first Formosat-8 and Formosat-9 spacecraft are to be launched in October and 2028 respectively, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council laid out its space development plan in a report reviewed by members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee. Six LEO satellites would be produced in the initial phase, with the first one, the B5G-1A, scheduled to be launched in 2027, the council said in the report. Regarding the second satellite, the B5G-1B, the government plans to work with private contractors
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he
RSS