Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday rejected a comment by an opposition lawmaker that the Republic of China (ROC) is a “government-in-exile,” saying the ROC is a country that has been in a state of “unwavering existence” since its foundation in 1912.
This is demonstrated by the fact that elections have continued to be held in Taiwan in accordance with the ROC Constitution and civil servants and public -officials have continued to receive their salaries from the ROC government, Wu said.
The premier was speaking in a legislative hearing in response to a comment by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Twu -Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), who described the ROC as a “past” entity that had fled into exile in Taiwan.
Twu said he did not agree with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who has argued for the ROC’s “continued presence,” nor did he see eye to eye with DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who has said that “the ROC is Taiwan” after decades of democratization.
“Taiwan is Taiwan and it does not belong to the ROC,” Twu said.
Wu said that Twu was mistaken in calling the ROC a “government-in-exile.”
Wu said Twu is a lawmaker who was elected by the people on the basis of the ROC Constitution, and that both he and Twu have been receiving salaries from the ROC government for many years.
Also at the hearing, Wu was asked by DPP Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) about the possibility of Taiwan following the example of the Palestinian territories and renewing its bid for full membership in the UN.
Wu said that between 1993 and 2007, the government maintained an annual push for UN membership, but as each bid failed, the Taiwanese public had developed a deep sense of frustration.
In light of this situation, the government in 2008 changed its approach and has been seeking instead “meaningful participation” in organizations of the UN, such as the WHO and the International Civil Aviation Organization, he said.
At a different setting in the morning, Ma used a meeting with former US secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld to explain his administration’s stance on the ROC and the so-called “1992 consensus.”
The “1992 consensus” is a tacit understanding reportedly reached in the early 1990s between the KMT and Beijing according to which there is only “one China” and that each side is free to interpret what “one China” means. The DPP, as well as former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who led the country at the time, dispute the legitimacy and existence of the consensus.
“For us, ‘one China’ refers to the ROC,” Ma told Rumsfeld. “This policy is in line with the ROC Constitution and mainstream public opinion.”
During their meeting, Ma conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on Rumsfeld and paid tribute to his political career and life achievements, including his support for the ROC’s national cause.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft