President Chen Shui-bian (
"China's intention to enact a unification law is an attempt to destroy the Taiwan Strait's peaceful status quo," said Chen, who arrived in Belize on Thursday for a one-day state visit. Chen made the remark to reporters traveling with him.
During Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's (
"China is not just saying it, but is actually proceeding to do it," Chen said. "As a national leader, I want to caution Taiwan's 23 million people to not to let down their guard on this matter."
"People must not take the issue lightly. Should China actually enact the law it would be too late for regret," he added.
Chen said "the Unification Law is a draft bill attempting to unify [China with] Taiwan. To call it the Unification Law is too polite, for it is in essence a draft bill aimed at using military force. The law attempts to provide a so-called legal basis for the use of force against Taiwan."
"The aim is not just to make Taiwan a special administrative region and to become a second Hong Kong, but if people in Taiwan don't accept this, China could refer to the Unification Law to apply forceful means to attack Taiwan," Chen said. He added that among the bill's 31 provisions, 11 were stipulations on how to attack Taiwan.
Chen said that in his view, "the US' Taiwan Relations Act safeguards peace across the Taiwan Strait, while China's Unification Law undermines the Strait's peaceful status quo."
Noting that the US and Japan were foes 50 years ago and now are partners, Chen asked "Why must Beijing go against Taiwan's 23 million people, who are from the same ethnic background, and disturb cross-strait peace?"
Reiterating the existence of the Republic of China, Chen said that only when China takes the subject seriously can both sides sit down to talk over issues relating to the "one China" policy.
He denied that this warning contradicted his recent announcement to cancel the part of the nation's Han Kuang military drill slated for Sept. 9 as a gesture of good will toward China. This cancellation followed China's apparent cancellation of its own military exercises on Dongshan Island, which some interpreted as a similar expression of good will.
"I have never said that China cancelled its military drill out of good will," Chen said. "What I said then was that some had interpreted it that way, although others had also interpreted it as being a result of infighting among the Beijing leaders or of pressure from the US.
"What I said was that, regardless of what China's intention was in canceling its military drill, Taiwan definitely fosters goodwill and is determined and sincere in pursuing cross-strait cooperation based on the principle of peace," Chen said.
MISINFORMATION: The generated content tends to adopt China’s official stance, such as ‘Taiwan is currently governed by the Chinese central government,’ the NSB said Five China-developed artificial intelligence (AI) language models exhibit cybersecurity risks and content biases, an inspection conducted by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The five AI tools are: DeepSeek, Doubao (豆包), Yiyan (文心一言), Tongyi (通義千問) and Yuanbao (騰訊元寶), the bureau said, advising people to remain vigilant to protect personal data privacy and corporate business secrets. The NSB said it, in accordance with the National Intelligence Services Act (國家情報工作法), has reviewed international cybersecurity reports and intelligence, and coordinated with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau and the National Police Agency’s Criminal Investigation Bureau to conduct an inspection of China-made AI language
BOOST IN CONFIDENCE: The sale sends a clear message of support for Taiwan and dispels rumors that US President Donald Trump ‘sold out’ the nation, an expert said The US government on Thursday announced a possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet parts, which was estimated to cost about US$330 million, in a move that an expert said “sends a clear message of support for Taiwan” amid fears that Washington might be wavering in its attitude toward Taipei. It was the first announcement of an arms sale to Taiwan since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. The proposed package includes non-standard components, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, as well repair and return support for the F-16, C-130 and Indigenous Defense Fighter aircraft,
CHECKING BOUNDARIES: China wants to disrupt solidarity among democracies and test their red lines, but it is instead pushing nations to become more united, an expert said The US Department of State on Friday expressed deep concern over a Chinese public security agency’s investigation into Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) for “secession.” “China’s actions threaten free speech and erode norms that have underpinned the cross-strait ‘status quo’ for decades,” a US Department of State spokesperson said. The Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau late last month listed Shen as “wanted” and launched an investigation into alleged “secession-related” criminal activities, including his founding of the Kuma Academy, a civil defense organization that prepares people for an invasion by China. The spokesperson said that the US was “deeply concerned” about the bureau investigating Shen
‘TROUBLEMAKER’: Most countries believe that it is China — rather than Taiwan — that is undermining regional peace and stability with its coercive tactics, the president said China should restrain itself and refrain from being a troublemaker that sabotages peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks after China Coast Guard vessels sailed into disputed waters off the Senkaku Islands — known as the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) in Taiwan — following a remark Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made regarding Taiwan. Takaichi during a parliamentary session on Nov. 7 said that a “Taiwan contingency” involving a Chinese naval blockade could qualify as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, and trigger Tokyo’s deployment of its military for defense. Asked about the escalating tensions