Reacting to pending China visits by opposition party leaders, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday passed a resolution containing "three oppositions" and "three insistences" for assessing the words and actions of political leaders meeting Chinese officials.
The DPP central executive committee yesterday passed the "Resolution on Political Party Visits to China," proposed by DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌). It asks DPP members and officials to interpret cross-strait interaction in line with the resolution.
"The purpose of China's repeated invitations to Taiwan's politicians is simply to alienate Taiwan," DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said.
"It is impossible for the DPP to be silent over Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and People First Party [PFP] Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) trips to China. We think their visits to China are unfortunate and might damage Taiwan's hard-won democracy," he said.
"It is necessary to declare the DPP's attitude towards these recent developments with a statement in black-and-white," Lee said. "We expect this resolution will become a basic guideline for the DPP in dealing with cross-strait affairs and assessing the behavior of politicians in China."
The first of the "three oppositions" opposes acceptance of the so-called "1992 Consensus" based on the "one China" principle as a condition for visiting China. The second opposes political parties negotiating with Chinese authorities without government authorization on issues involving sovereignty or government power. The third opposes any act by China that attempts to degrade or "localize" Taiwan.
The first of the "three insistences" states that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent and sovereign country belonging to the 23 million Taiwanese people and that any change to this requires the consent of the Taiwanese people. The second states that cross-strait disputes must be solved by peaceful means and that any Chinese government attempt to use force should be strongly condemned. The third states that the nation's participation in international society should not be suppressed and that the people of Taiwan sternly oppose China's "Anti-Secession" Law.
Lee said that DPP members who are serving as county commissioners and city mayors should not go to China at this time, even if they were invited by Chinese officials.
RESPONSE: The transit sends a message that China’s alignment with other countries would not deter the West from defending freedom of navigation, an academic said Canadian frigate the Ville de Quebec and Australian guided-missile destroyer the Brisbane transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, the first time the two nations have conducted a joint freedom of navigation operation. The Canadian and Australian militaries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Ministry of National Defense declined to confirm the passage, saying only that Taiwan’s armed forces had deployed surveillance and reconnaissance assets, along with warships and combat aircraft, to safeguard security across the Strait. The two vessels were observed transiting northward along the eastern side of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, with Japan being their most likely destination,
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS