The Presidential Office last night sought to water down remarks by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) after he blamed China earlier in the day for blocking the nation’s attempt to participate in the UN Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Office during a prize-giving ceremony yesterday morning, Ma, speaking English, said: “We try very hard to participate at least in the events of some specialized agencies of [the] UN. I don’t think the general assembly means too much to us, but if we can make it to, say, the UNFCCC [that would be desirable]. Of course, all this has to be actually in a way clear[ed] by mainland Chinese. They try to block our participation in the international events. But as we improve [our] relationship with them, they seem to be much more, I would say, relaxed in this area.”
Last night, Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said China blocked Taiwan’s participation in the convention, but added that Taiwan’s relationship with China had improved since Ma took office, and that Ma did not say that Beijing’s suppression had resulted in Taiwan being forced to participate via an NGO this year.
The U-turn came a day after Taiwan was prevented from attending a 19-nation breakfast meeting on the last day of the APEC to discuss climate change.
Taiwan was the only APEC member not invited to the breakfast.
Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰), Taiwan’s representative at the APEC meeting, said on Sunday that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told Taiwanese delegates on Saturday that the other countries used the breakfast meeting to plan for the UNFCCC conference that will take place in Copenhagen next month. Rudd said Taiwan was not invited to join the breakfast meeting because it is not a UN member, Lien said, adding that the meeting was not under the APEC framework.
Lien also said that he was not authorized to address any issues related to the UNFCCC.
Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said that Taiwan was excluded from participating because of interference, opposition and persecution from the Chinese government.
“The diplomatic truce policy of the Ma administration has become a diplomatic shock,” he said, adding that the administration should defend Taiwan’s authority in a more active and flexible manner.
In other news, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Hou (侯清山) said yesterday he was “very confident” that any potential statement jointly delivered by the US and China would not damage the interests of Taiwan, nor will it exceed the boundaries of promises made by the US government.
“We are aware that the US and China may issue [a joint statement],” Hou said. “Regarding this, we have set up a task force to closely monitor interactions between these two countries.”
Hou also said that the title and formality used to present the statement would be secondary and that the most important thing would be content. The ministry will communicate with the US should the content risk harming the interests of Taiwan, he said.
Hou made the remarks at the Legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee, where lawmakers raised concerns over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ grasp of the implications of US President Barack Obama’s visit to China.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KO SHU-LING
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
RSS