Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday said that the "four noes" policy is only valid so long as the Chinese government does not initiate military action against Taiwan.
"This is our bottom line," Hsieh said. "Should military action begin in the Strait, the `four noes' policy will be automatically invalidated."
Hsieh made his remarks during the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday morning.
His pointed remarks about the "four noes" are unprecedented.
Promises
President Chen Shui-bian (
The "four noes" refer to the promise to refrain from declaring independence, changing the nation's title, pushing for the inclusion of the state-to-state description of cross-strait relations in the Constitution, or promoting a referendum to change the status quo on independence or unification during Chen's term in office.
Hsieh said that the Chinese government's proposed "anti-secession" law is regarded as a legal excuse for the People's Liberation Army to launch an attack against Taiwan anytime it wants.
Excuses
At the same time, the law was also a legal excuse for the Chinese government to try to limit the Taiwanese people's freedom to choose their future.
"However, it is not appropriate for the government to come up with any further comments at this moment, since the law is still pending," the premier said.
In addition, Hsieh said that national security-related offices and units are following the latest developments relating to the proposed anti-secession law and officials will prepare timely and appropriate reactions or responses whenever necessary.
"In the meantime, I can also tell you that the government's future policy in response to the establishment of the anti-secession law will be based on decisions made by national security offices," Hsieh said.
GET TO SAFETY: Authorities were scrambling to evacuate nearly 700 people in Hualien County to prepare for overflow from a natural dam formed by a previous typhoon Typhoon Podul yesterday intensified and accelerated as it neared Taiwan, with the impact expected to be felt overnight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration announced that schools and government offices in most areas of southern and eastern Taiwan would be closed today. The affected regions are Tainan, Kaohsiung and Chiayi City, and Yunlin, Chiayi, Pingtung, Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the outlying Penghu County. As of 10pm last night, the storm was about 370km east-southeast of Taitung County, moving west-northwest at 27kph, CWA data showed. With a radius of 120km, Podul is carrying maximum sustained
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday criticized the nuclear energy referendum scheduled for Saturday next week, saying that holding the plebiscite before the government can conduct safety evaluations is a denial of the public’s right to make informed decisions. Lai, who is also the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), made the comments at the party’s Central Standing Committee meeting at its headquarters in Taipei. ‘NO’ “I will go to the ballot box on Saturday next week to cast a ‘no’ vote, as we all should do,” he said as he called on the public to reject the proposition to reactivate the decommissioned
TALKS CONTINUE: Although an agreement has not been reached with Washington, lowering the tariff from 32 percent to 20 percent is still progress, the vice premier said Taiwan would strive for a better US tariff rate in negotiations, with the goal being not just lowering the current 20-percent tariff rate, but also securing an exemption from tariff stacking, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said yesterday. Cheng made the remarks at a news conference at the Executive Yuan explaining the new US tariffs and the government’s plans for supporting affected industries. US President Donald Trump on July 31 announced a new tariff rate of 20 percent on Taiwan’s exports to the US starting on Thursday last week, and the Office of Trade Negotiations on Friday confirmed that it
RSS