The government wants to change the name of the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport to "Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport," pending approval during next Wednesday's weekly Cabinet meeting.
"It is difficult to change the name, but it is definitely not impossible," President Chen Shui-bian (
The president announced the proposed name change at a ceremony at which soldiers received awards for outstanding service ahead of Soldier's Day tomorrow, although his remarks were not directly related to the military.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
In addition to promoting the name change, Chen said that the four Kidd-class destroyers which the Navy bought from the US would be given names that are relevant to Taiwan.
"These destroyers should be named after cities in Taiwan," Chen said. "In the past, the navy named its vessels after historical heroes or cities in China."
"How can we bring the nation closer to the military if the new ships are named after something or somebody unrelated to us?" he said.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) backed the president's name-change proposal.
The premier said that "Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport" had been the original name for the airport when it was established 27 yeas ago, but the Cabinet later decided to change the name to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial International Airport in memory of the late dictator.
Su said that Taoyuan residents have for years been hoping to have the airport's name changed.
"I have discussed the issue with Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (
The premier said that it was the government's job to introduce Taiwan to more foreign friends, and that the new name would clearly reflect its location and help promote Taiwan abroad.
"Most major airports in the world are named after cities, and this is what we are doing," Su said.
The opposition parties yesterday responded to the proposal with caution.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
"We don't know the detailed situation yet. ... The government has done too many things that we can't predict," he said at a municipal event in Taipei.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-Pyng (
He refused to comment on the move's possible impact.
The KMT legislative caucus expressed partial support for the proposal.
KMT caucus whip Tsai Chin-lung (
"We suggest using `Taiwan Taoyuan Chiang Kai-shek International Airport,' out of consideration for people's historical feelings," Tsai said.
But People First Party legislative caucus whip Lee Hung-chun (
"Changing the name won't do any good to reverse the drop in air traffic at the airport," Lee said.
Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Yeh Yi-ching (
Taiwan Solidarity Union legislative caucus whip Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) also spoke in favor of the idea, calling it the most welcome move in Chen's six-year presidency.
Ministry of Transportation and Communications Minister Tsai Duei (蔡堆) said yesterday that the ministry had been planning to name the airport "Tao-yuan International Airport" when construction was completed in 1979, but then transport minister Lin Chin-sheng (林金生) suggested that the Cabinet name it after former president Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) instead.
Tsai yesterday appeared flabbergasted when asked whether the ministry had conducted a public opinion survey of the name change.
Terminal I of the airport was completed and opened on Feb. 26, 1979, and Terminal II was opened on July 29, 2000. Approximately 29 million passengers and 149,000 airplanes land and take off from this airport every year.
The airport has two main runways and 28 taxiways. There are 18 gates at Terminal I and another 20 gates at Terminal II, with a total of 126 apron positions for passenger and cargo aircraft.
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih and Shelley Shan
also see story:
Editorial: Goodbye `CKS,' you won't be missed
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2