The legislature yesterday adopted a resolution to cover Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Wang Yu-chi’s (王郁琦) upcoming trip to China that drew a red line in defense of the nation’s sovereignty and right to self-determination.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said the resolution, which was attached to the central government budget bill that was passed by the legislature yesterday, has the same legal effect as a bill that has been passed.
Negotiations have been under way to have Wang Yu-chi meet his Chinese counterpart, Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), in China next month and for Zhang to make a return visit at a later date.
Photo: CNA
The meetings are part of Taipei and Beijing’s efforts to institutionalize cross-strait interactions and replace the semi-official channels between the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits.
The Democratic Progressive Party and the Taiwan Solidarity Union jointly initiated the resolution, citing concern about the political agenda of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration in his remaining time in office.
The resolution stipulates that during his trip to China Wang Yu-chi may not sign any document or issue a joint statement of any kind that accepts or echoes Beijing’s claim of a “one China” framework or its opposition to Taiwanese independence that could endanger the nation’s sovereignty.
If he fails to abide by the resolution, the legislature will hold him politically responsible.
The resolution also stipulates that the minister should also not engage in any talks with Chinese officials on issues related to “one China,” a “one China” framework, “one China, two systems,” a “military mutual-trust mechanism,” a “peace agreement” or “interim political relationships” and that he should not sign any documents or press statements regarding those subjects.
In addition, he must report to the legislature on his trip and meeting with Zhang upon his return to Taiwan.
Wang Yu-chi briefed lawmakers on his upcoming trip during a closed-door meeting on Friday last week.
That same day, the council promised that Wang Yu-chi would not discuss politically sensitive issues during the trip or repeat claims related to the “one China” framework.
Additional reporting by staff writer and CNA
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-Wong tomorrow, which it said would possibly make landfall near central Taiwan. As of 2am yesterday, Fung-Wong was about 1,760km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 26kph. It is forecast to reach Luzon in the northern Philippines by tomorrow, the CWA said. After entering the South China Sea, Typhoon Fung-Wong is likely to turn northward toward Taiwan, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said, adding that it would likely make landfall near central Taiwan. The CWA expects to issue a land
Taiwan’s exports soared to an all-time high of US$61.8 billion last month, surging 49.7 percent from a year earlier, as the global frenzy for artificial intelligence (AI) applications and new consumer electronics powered shipments of high-tech goods, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. It was the first time exports had exceeded the US$60 billion mark, fueled by the global boom in AI development that has significantly boosted Taiwanese companies across the international supply chain, Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) told a media briefing. “There is a consensus among major AI players that the upcycle is still in its early stage,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it is expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong this afternoon and a land warning tomorrow. As of 1pm, the storm was about 1,070km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving west-northwest at 28 to 32kph, according to CWA data. The storm had a radius of 250km, with maximum sustained winds of 173kph and gusts reaching 209kph, the CWA added. The storm is forecast to pass near Luzon in the Philippines before entering the South China Sea and potentially turning northward toward Taiwan, the CWA said. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張峻堯) said
PREPARATION: Ferry lines and flights were canceled ahead of only the second storm to hit the nation in November, while many areas canceled classes and work Authorities yesterday evacuated more than 3,000 people ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Fung-wong, which is expected to make landfall between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County this evening. Fung-wong was yesterday morning downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm as it approached the nation’s southwest coast, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as it issued a land alert for the storm. The alert applies to residents in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung counties, and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春). As of press time last night, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Yilan, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Pingtung and Penghu counties, as well as Chiayi city and county had
RSS