The Presidential Office vowed to push cross-strait relations on the basis of the so-called “1992 consensus,” following Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s (溫家寶) speech in Beijing yesterday.
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said cross-strait relations would make peaceful progress if both sides extended goodwill.
As for Wen’s call for a “comprehensive economic cooperation agreement,” Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) said the government knows that China’s financial system has structural problems and it hoped quasi-official agencies could help resolve the problems.
The government also hoped to see both sides engage in trade exchanges and interactions based on the existing foundation, he said, adding that under such a framework, both sides could march more confidently down the road of peace and mutual existence.
Responding to Wen’s comment about Taiwan’s international space, Liu said mutual trust was vital before tackling “very difficult” issues. Public consensus was equally important, taking into account that Taiwan is a diverse society and a democracy, Liu said.
As for Wen’s comment that Beijing was willing to negotiate on Taiwan’s desire to participate in the activities of international organizations on the basis of the “one China” policy, Liu said: “Mainland China should extend more goodwill gestures to our wish to have more international space.”
Liu said both sides must face reality. Any cross-strait issues must be dealt with by an institutionalized cross-strait negotiation mechanism and proceed under the principles of equality and dignity, he said.
Taiwan Solidarity Union Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said Wen’s speech suggested China does not recognize Ma’s “one China, with each side having its own interpretation.”
However, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Justin Chou (周守訓), convener of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, shrugged off Wen’s repetition of Beijing’s “one China” principle: “There is no need for us to react excessively. Today was not the first time [he has made such a remark].”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG
People can preregister to receive their NT$10,000 (US$325) cash distributed from the central government on Nov. 5 after President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday signed the Special Budget for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience, the Executive Yuan told a news conference last night. The special budget, passed by the Legislative Yuan on Friday last week with a cash handout budget of NT$236 billion, was officially submitted to the Executive Yuan and the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon. People can register through the official Web site at https://10000.gov.tw to have the funds deposited into their bank accounts, withdraw the funds at automated teller
PEACE AND STABILITY: Maintaining the cross-strait ‘status quo’ has long been the government’s position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan is committed to maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” and seeks no escalation of tensions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, rebutting a Time magazine opinion piece that described President William Lai (賴清德) as a “reckless leader.” The article, titled “The US Must Beware of Taiwan’s Reckless Leader,” was written by Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Defense Priorities think tank. Goldstein wrote that Taiwan is “the world’s most dangerous flashpoint” amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He said that the situation in the Taiwan Strait has become less stable
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday lavished US President Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals. Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage and even announced that she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said. Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world,
REASSURANCE: The US said Taiwan’s interests would not be harmed during the talk and that it remains steadfast in its support for the nation, the foreign minister said US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would bring up Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during a meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea this week. “I will be talking about Taiwan [with Xi],” Trump told reporters before he departed for his trip to Asia, adding that he had “a lot of respect for Taiwan.” “We have a lot to talk about with President Xi, and he has a lot to talk about with us. I think we’ll have a good meeting,” Trump said. Taiwan has long been a contentious issue between the US and China.
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