President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday congratulated US Pres-ident George W. Bush on his re-election and pledged to seek closer cooperation with the Bush administration in promoting regional peace and stability.
Presidential Office Secretary-General Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said at a Presidential Office press conference that immediately after the result of the US presidential election had been determined, Chen and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) sent messages to Bush and US Vice President Dick Cheney congratulating them on their re-election and to the American people on the success of the election.
Chen said in the message that the governments and peoples of Taiwan and the US had close ties and shared the values of democracy and human rights.
"Based on the two countries' shared values and based on existing foundations, [Taiwan] is willing to work together [with the US] to oppose terrorism, restrict the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, promote peace and deliver humanitarian aid," the message said.
"Taiwan and the US are mem-bers of the Asia-Pacific region, and the Republic of China government is willing to cooperate with the US government on an ongoing basis to safeguard regional peace and stability, while actively seeking dialogue with China to foster prospects for peaceful cross-strait relations," it said.
Su then urged Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) to learn some democratic manners from Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry.
Lien filed an annulment suit challenging the result and encouraged weeks of protests staged in view of the Presidential Office.
"Look at the US and reflect on our situation," Su said. "Our 23 million compatriots must have sighed with emotion to see how Al Gore, the US presidential candidate four years ago, and Kerry yesterday, presented themselves so gracefully in defeat to uphold the democratic system and their responsibilities to the country and the people."
In contrast, Su said, Lien had "set a bad example for a democratic society" by "running in the election yet being unwilling to concede defeat, by filing a lawsuit yet distrusting the court and criticizing the [process] before the court renders its verdict."
Su was referring to remarks made by Lien on Wednesday during a KMT Central Standing Committee meeting, in which he accused Chen of fraud and said a person like this deserved to be killed.
"Lien's behavior leads one to conclude that he is a sore loser who has let his personal feelings bring about disturbances in Taiwan from March 20 until now," Su said.
Su also urged Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
CHINA POLICY: At the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China, the two sides issued strong support for Taiwan and condemned China’s actions in the South China Sea The US and EU issued a joint statement on Wednesday supporting Taiwan’s international participation, notably omitting the “one China” policy in a departure from previous similar statements, following high-level talks on China and the Indo-Pacific region. The statement also urged China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino cochaired the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China and the sixth US-EU Indo-Pacific Consultations from Monday to Tuesday. Since the Indo-Pacific consultations were launched in 2021, references to the “one China” policy have appeared in every statement apart from the
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from