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
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