The issue of identity re-entered the presidential campaign yesterday after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) defined himself as “Taiwanese” in response to a campaign slogan introduced by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) last week that highlights her intention to enhance her public identification as Taiwanese.
Writing on his Facebook page, Ma, who is seeking re-election in January next year, dismissed Tsai’s accusations that he was undermining the nation’s sovereignty and identity, saying he identified himself as Taiwanese and a citizen of the Republic of China (ROC).
“I am a descendant of the Yellow Emperor in blood and I identify with Taiwan in terms of my identity. I fight for Taiwan and I am Taiwanese,” Ma wrote. “In nationality, I am an ROC citizen and I am the president of the ROC.”
Photo: CNA
Tsai last week introduced her “I am a Taiwanese” campaign slogan, which follows up her two earlier slogans “Taiwan NEXT” and “Taiwan, what do you want?”
Tsai has vowed to devote more resources toward enhancing Taiwanese recognition in the international community if the DPP regains the presidency next year. At a campaign event on Friday last week, she accused Ma and the government of damaging the nation’s sovereignty and identity, adding that the president “finds it difficult to say the word ‘Taiwanese’ out loud.”
Ma’s posting was in contrast with a posting by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明) on Monday, who clearly identified himself as Chinese.
Photo: CNA
“I am Yok Mu-ming and I am Chinese,” the head of the New Party, which is closely aligned with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), wrote in a text message sent to reporters.
Amid tensions between the People First Party, another party in the pan-blue camp, and the KMT over cooperation in the legislative elections, Yok said Ma, who doubles as KMT chairman, and Tsai should clarify their stance on national identity and he urged the two parties to defend the ROC.
Ma campaign office spokesman Yin Wei (殷瑋) said “one China, with each side having its own interpretation” was the Ma administration’s constant position and that “one China” referred to the ROC.
Also yesterday, Ma’s campaign office introduced four members who will focus on Ma’s online election campaign via social networking platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Google+ and Plurk.
Yin said the four members, who are all in their 30s, would work with the team to promote campaign events via the Internet and allow younger voters to learn more about Ma and his campaign platform, and to communicate with the president in a more creative and direct way.
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
NEW GEAR: On top of the new Tien Kung IV air defense missiles, the military is expected to place orders for a new combat vehicle next year for delivery in 2028 Mass production of Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missiles is expected to start next year, with plans to order 122 pods, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) latest list of regulated military material showed. The document said that the armed forces would obtain 46 pods of the air defense missiles next year and 76 pods the year after that. The Tien Kung IV is designed to intercept cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to an altitude of 70km, compared with the 60km maximum altitude achieved by the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of PAC-3 systems. A defense source said yesterday that the number of
A bipartisan group of US representatives have introduced a draft US-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership bill, aimed at accelerating defense technology collaboration between Taiwan and the US in response to ongoing aggression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The bill was introduced by US representatives Zach Nunn and Jill Tokuda, with US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar and US Representative Ashley Hinson joining as original cosponsors, a news release issued by Tokuda’s office on Thursday said. The draft bill “directs the US Department of Defense to work directly with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense through their respective
Tsunami waves were possible in three areas of Kamchatka in Russia’s Far East, the Russian Ministry for Emergency Services said yesterday after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the nearby Kuril Islands. “The expected wave heights are low, but you must still move away from the shore,” the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app, after the latest seismic activity in the area. However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System in Hawaii said there was no tsunami warning after the quake. The Russian tsunami alert was later canceled. Overnight, the Krasheninnikov volcano in Kamchatka erupted for the first time in 600 years, Russia’s RIA
RSS