Despite pledging not to begin political negotiations with China should he be re-elected, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was quoted in a leaked WikiLeaks cable released on Tuesday as having told the US that there was pressure from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to engage in talks on political topics.
“Although economics were his [Ma’s] priority in cross-Strait discussions, PRC [People’s Republic of China] military activities might require him to engage the PRC on political topics as well,” said a cable issued by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) dated Dec. 16, 2009, which detailed a meeting between Ma and Admiral Timothy Keating, who retired from the US Navy that month, shortly after finishing a 31-month stint as commander of the US Pacific Command.
“Despite warming economic ties ... the PRC military posture across the Strait remained unchanged,” the cable quoted Ma as saying, adding that “PLA activities in recent months demonstrated that Taiwan may need to move beyond economic discussions into political discussions with the mainland.”
Ma did not elaborate what “PLA activities” he was referring to.
The president told Keating that Taipei had told Beijing it needed to remove the missiles across the Taiwan Strait before any such military or security issues could be discussed, the cable said.
Ma said that Taiwan would maintain good relations with the US and he asked for US support as he worked to reach “a peace agreement” with the PRC, it said.
The cable did not elaborate on what Ma meant by “a peace agreement.”
Keating told Ma that the US had observed China’s military improvements in both capability and capacity, the cable said.
“PRC computer network attacks, space developments, expanding reach of PRC submarines, and advanced PRC electronic warfare capabilities had given the United States cause to question the PRC’s true intentions,” the cable showed Keating as saying.
The US would like China to be more transparent and candid about its intentions. Every day, through the combined efforts of responsible nations in the region, Keating said, the PRC received the message that it should not consider the use of force.
Ma said Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) had told then-US president George W. Bush that he could accept “one China, different interpretations” as a basis for cross-strait discussions.
This gave both sides the flexibility to make progress on practical matters, Ma said.
The cable showed that Keating was told by Ma that there was mainstream consensus in Taiwan on the need to maintain the “status quo.”
Taiwanese identity did not mean an independent Taiwan, Ma was quoted as saying in the cable, adding that Taiwan had no need to declare independence.
“The Republic of China had been a sovereign state for 98 years and [it] would not declare independence again,” Ma said.
At the meeting, Ma also urged the US to continue to provide Taiwan with weapons.
Improved cross-strait ties bolster regional security, Ma said, but they need to be balanced with improvements in Taiwan’s relationship with the US. In that respect, Ma said that continued US arms sales were particularly important, the cable showed.
The cable said Ma hoped the US would support the procurement of submarines to replace Taiwan’s four aging submarines, of which two are more than 60 years old, but he did not mention acquiring the F-16C/D aircraft.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS