Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan’s (連戰) recent comment to outgoing Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) that “Taiwan is a troublemaker” drew criticism from opposition legislators yesterday.
In a meeting with Hu on Tuesday, Lien said that “for a long time internationally Taiwan has been [seen as] in truth a troublemaker.”
Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) yesterday said that Lien, having been minister of foreign affairs, premier and vice president, should know full well that Taiwan is suffering from China’s oppression on issues of sovereignty, international participation and diplomacy.
For him to accept Beijing’s so-called “one China” policy and cause the nation to be oppressed, Lien is “Taiwan’s troublemaker,” Hsu said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said that Lien’s comments contrasted with his stance in 2000 when he criticized China for being the troublemaker.
Lien’s remarks now are an effort to win the affection of Xi, Pan said.
“Lien had been nurtured by the nation, has served in high-ranking positions and is even now earning a large pension. His words contradict what the nation has done for him,” Pan said.
While Lien was the first to make the remark to Chinese leaders, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in March 2009 at a press conference in Belize: “We should turn Taiwan from a troublemaker into a peacemaker through reconciliation across the Taiwan Strait.”
Another comment made by Lien also drew criticism from the opposition, who said it belittled Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Lien, in a meeting with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Beijing on Monday, said that cross-strait relations should be based on the principles of “the one China framework, cross-strait peace, mutual interest and integration, and revitalization of the Zhonghua minzu (中華民族) [Chinese ethnic group].”
The Presidential Office dismissed allegations that Lien was serving as a messenger for Ma.
Presidential Office spokesperson Lee Chia-fei (李佳霏) said that the delegation of Taiwanese businesspeople and politicians visiting China was not an official trip.
Former KMT legislator Kuo Su-chun (郭素春), spokesperson for the delegation, yesterday said Lien made the comments on the basis of the so-called “1992 consensus.”
“Mr Lien’s remarks are no different from the ‘1992 consensus.’ He works very hard for peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait and his words should not be distorted,” Kuo said.
Kuo accused the Presidential Office of trying to distance itself from Lien and the delegation, adding that the office should show more respect to Lien.
In response, Lee said the Presidential Office made the comments in response to reporters’ inquiries, adding that the public should not overinterpret relations between Ma and Lien.
Separately yesterday, DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) reiterated the party’s insistence on transparency in all cross-strait engagements and said that Lien’s comments during his visit to Beijing had violated that principle.
“No individual or political party should advance initiatives and political negotiations that have not been authorized by the people without regard to the huge differences across the Taiwan Strait,” Lin said.
Additional reporting by Chris Wang and Jake Chung
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