President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in his final Double Ten National Day speech yesterday expressed concerns about the development of cross-strait relations, saying that any future president should continue to pursue a cross-strait policy based on the so-called “1992 consensus.”
“Without the ‘1992 consensus,’ the maintenance of the ‘status quo’ becomes an empty slogan; an unrealizable goal that does not advance the peaceful development of cross-strait ties,” Ma said in a speech to the crowd gathered in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei to celebrate the 104th birthday of the Republic of China (ROC).
The ceremony included military drills and dances involving hundreds of performers.
Photo: AP
The “1992 consensus” refers to an agreement said to have been reached between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Chinese Communist Party in 1992, stating that there is “one China” with both sides having “different interpretations” of what that means.
Ma also said in the speech that he was “worried” about whether his successor would be able to continue his policy of “maintaining the ‘status quo,’” adding that the “1992 consensus” was the most important pillar of that policy.
“Is it really that hard for a president of the ROC to accept the ‘1992 consensus’ — which was based on the ROC constitution?” he said, adding that whoever was elected as president would be obliged to swear to follow the Constitution.
Photo: AP
Ma’s remarks were interpreted as being directed at Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), whose attendance at yesterday’s ceremony was a first for a DPP chairperson during Ma’s administration.
“I hope that this means that everyone, regardless of their party identifies with and supports the ROC,” Ma said, adding that the attendance of an opposition party leader at this year’s ceremony was “gratifying.”
He said that “maintaining the ‘status quo’” had already become a separate “Taiwan consensus” supported by the leaders of all major parties.
The existence of the “Taiwan consensus” demonstrated that his government’s cross-strait policy over the past seven years had become “mainstream public opinion” and did not aim to “favor China and sell out Taiwan” or “diminish national sovereignty,” he said.
Ma also hailed what he said were the domestic achievements of his administration over the past seven years, saying that he had overseen reductions in income inequality and crime, a strengthening of the social safety net, more investment in renewable energy and undertaken “hard work” on economic policy.
He added that his administration was “open-minded” about Chinese proposals to write sections of history textbooks concerning the Second Sino-Japanese War together.
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