Snowballing protests against the cross-strait service agreement are not affecting the government’s resolution to push the pact through the legislature by June, as President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday reiterated his order to the Cabinet that it must be ratified by then.
Ma, who also serves as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, reiterated the deadline during the party’s weekly Central Standing Committee meeting, which was also attended by Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺).
According to committee members, who asked to remain anonymous, Ma did not respond to the demands of the protesters at the Legislative Yuan during the meeting.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
At the meeting, Ma “commended” the way the KMT caucus had handled the trade pact and “expressed his appreciation to party lawmakers,” KMT officials said.
They quoted Ma as saying that the KMT caucus dealt with the issue in a “sensible, reasonable and legitimate” manner after KMT Policy Committee chief executive Lin Hung-chih’s (林鴻池) briefing on the matter.
The committee responded to Ma’s remarks with applause, the officials said.
KMT Legislator Chang Ching-chung (張慶忠) on Monday declared that the pact had cleared the committee stage without any of its articles being reviewed, prompting an occupation of the legislative chamber on Tuesday evening, mainly by students.
Along with the demand that the trade agreement be subject to a line-by-line review, the students said that Chang’s decision should be invalidated, Ma must apologize, Jiang should step down and the police must be withdrawn from the legislature.
They also called for legislation to increase supervision over cross-strait negotiations.
KMT officials said that Ma did not comment on what he thought Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) should do to end the occupation.
Earlier yesterday, when speaking to KMT caucus whips at a separate meeting, Ma urged the lawmakers to spare no efforts to get the trade pact ratified by June “lest the international community question our resolution, sincerity and credibility” in trade negotiations.
He told the whips that he hoped the endorsement and activation of the pact would bring about an “economic breakthrough” this year.
Jiang remained mum on the protest yesterday. However, late on Tuesday night, he called Wang and told him that he had given the National Police Agency the green light to intervene in the occupation.
Executive Yuan spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) yesterday confirmed that Jiang called Wang and that they were in agreement on the urgency of restoring the “order” and “dignity” of the legislature as soon as possible.
Sun said the Executive Yuan would respect the way the Legislative Yuan handles the protesters after Wang said that he would call a meeting among caucus whips to map out a strategy to resolve the dispute.
Presidential Office spokesperson Lee Chia-fei (李佳霏) said that the office supported Wang’s call for an early resumption of normal legislative work and appropriate handling of the issue in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien (王建煊) said he regretted the “ignorance” of the students “committing acts in violations of laws and discipline.”
“They had no idea that they were used by politicians,” Wang said.
Citing Jesus saying on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” Wang said he would like to pray for God to forgive the protesters because they had no idea what they are doing.
They acted like lawmakers who are often seen in the press engaging in scuffling, water-spraying, hair-pulling, occupation of the legislative podium, locking the doors to the entrance of the chamber and sleeping on the floor, Wang said.
“Taiwan is spiraling downward. Young friends, do you have a future?” he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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
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
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