China will firmly oppose Taiwanese “separatism,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (李克強) said yesterday, following tension with US President Donald Trump over Taiwan, and said that Hong Kong independence moves would “lead nowhere.”
“We will resolutely oppose and contain separatist activities for Taiwan independence,” Li said in a speech opening the annual session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
“We will never tolerate any activity, in any form or name, which attempts to separate Taiwan from the motherland,” he said.
Photo: AP
China will protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity while safeguarding peace and stability, he said.
However, Li extended the usual cautious olive branch across the Taiwan Strait, saying that China would continue efforts to increase linkages with Taiwan, which have included rising cross-strait investment, daily direct flights and increased tourism.
“People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should keep in mind the greater interests of the nation,” and work toward the “reunification of China,” he said.
In Taipei, the Mainland Affairs Council said the government’s policy to continue and promote peaceful and stable cross-strait development remains unchanged, adding that China should respect and understand Taiwan’s democracy.
Saying peace and stability across the Strait is a mutual responsibility, the council called on the Chinese government to consider the welfare of the people as its priority in policymaking, and reduce maneuvering for political benefit.
Li also shut down any hope of Hong Kong independence.
“The notion of Hong Kong independence will lead nowhere,” he said, adding that Beijing would ensure that the principle of “one country, two systems” is applied in Hong Kong and Macau “without being bent or distorted.”
Li’s annual report to the highly choreographed congress is akin to a state-of-the-nation address highlighting key government priorities for the year, which are then typically parroted in subsequent delegate meetings.
Trump raised eyebrows following his election victory in November last year with a protocol-busting telephone conversation with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and later threw doubt on the US “one China” policy, suggesting that the decades-old diplomatic formulation was up for negotiation.
The 10-day NPC session runs until March 15.
Additional reporting by Lin Liang-sheng
Nvidia Corp yesterday unveiled its new high-speed interconnect technology, NVLink Fusion, with Taiwanese application-specific IC (ASIC) designers Alchip Technologies Ltd (世芯) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科) among the first to adopt the technology to help build semi-custom artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure for hyperscalers. Nvidia has opened its technology to outside users, as hyperscalers and cloud service providers are building their own cost-effective AI chips, or accelerators, used in AI servers by leveraging ASIC firms’ designing capabilities to reduce their dependence on Nvidia. Previously, NVLink technology was only available for Nvidia’s own AI platform. “NVLink Fusion opens Nvidia’s AI platform and rich ecosystem for
WARNING: From Jan. 1 last year to the end of last month, 89 Taiwanese have gone missing or been detained in China, the MAC said, urging people to carefully consider travel to China Lax enforcement had made virtually moot regulations banning civil servants from making unauthorized visits to China, the Control Yuan said yesterday. Several agencies allowed personnel to travel to China after they submitted explanations for the trip written using artificial intelligence or provided no reason at all, the Control Yuan said in a statement, following an investigation headed by Control Yuan member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程). The probe identified 318 civil servants who traveled to China without permission in the past 10 years, but the true number could be close to 1,000, the Control Yuan said. The public employees investigated were not engaged in national
ALL TOGETHER: Only by including Taiwan can the WHA fully exemplify its commitment to ‘One World for Health,’ the representative offices of eight nations in Taiwan said The representative offices in Taiwan of eight nations yesterday issued a joint statement reiterating their support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO and for Taipei’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA). The joint statement came as Taiwan has not received an invitation to this year’s WHA, which started yesterday and runs until Tuesday next week. This year’s meeting of the decisionmaking body of the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, would be the ninth consecutive year Taiwan has been excluded. The eight offices, which reaffirmed their support for Taiwan, are the British Office Taipei, the Australian Office Taipei, the
CAUSE AND EFFECT: China’s policies prompted the US to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific, and Beijing should consider if this outcome is in its best interests, Lai said China has been escalating its military and political pressure on Taiwan for many years, but should reflect on this strategy and think about what is really in its best interest, President William Lai (賴清德) said. Lai made the remark in a YouTube interview with Mindi World News that was broadcast on Saturday, ahead of the first anniversary of his presidential inauguration tomorrow. The US has clearly stated that China is its biggest challenge and threat, with US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth repeatedly saying that the US should increase its forces in the Indo-Pacific region