Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) should be mindful during his upcoming visit to China not to overstep his purview when it comes to cross-strait issues and be wary of any political framework Beijing might try to impose, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday.
Su made the remarks in response to lawmakers’ questions about Han’s remark on Monday, when the mayor said he hoped the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) would approve his plan for a week-long visit to China.
Announcing a plan to visit Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Xiamen from March 22 to March 28, Han, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said he hoped the trip would generate opportunities to further economic interaction across the Taiwan Strait.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
The visit would focus on how to improve the economy, with care taken to minimize political interaction as much as possible, Han said, adding that he would comply with the council’s regulations and not meet with high-ranking Chinese officials.
On Monday evening, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said it “welcomed and supported” Han’s visit “to develop cross-strait ties between cities on the basis of the 1992 consensus.”
The so-called “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit agreement between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Former MAC chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up the term in 2000.
Su Tseng-chang said the council has always supported mutually beneficial exchanges between local governments on both sides of the Strait.
However, China set the wheels of “unification” in motion by saying that it has not renounced the use of force in efforts to annex Taiwan, and advocates the “1992 consensus” to impose its “one country, two systems” model on Taiwan, the premier said.
“We strongly oppose such assertions by China. The central government adopts a firm stance when defending the nation’s sovereignty, which does not concern local governments,” he said.
Local government leaders can engage in equal, mutually beneficial exchanges to boost local development, but Han must stay out of matters handled by the central government, he said.
“Do not be hemmed in by political frameworks imposed by a totalitarian Chinese government that has not given up annexing Taiwan by force,” Su added.
MAC Minister Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) said that after a discussion with Han, he felt “reassured” about the trip, and the council on Monday offered Han any assistance necessary.
Meanwhile, New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) asked why the council appeared to have been less strict in reviewing applications for visits by Chinese officials.
Immigration Agency statistics showed that the council in 2016, 2017 and last year rejected 6.8 percent, 6 percent and 5.5 percent of such requests respectively, Lim said.
Chen said that the council encourages cross-strait exchanges if they are carried out on an equal footing.
Lim said that Chinese officials tasked with penetrating Taiwanese society would not reveal their true intentions on an application form, citing the “Sing! China: Shanghai-Taipei Music Festival” in 2017.
The singing contest, held at National Taiwan University, was thrown into chaos after armed Chinese Unity Promotion Party members attacked and injured four students at the school.
Su Tseng-chang said he agreed with Lim — applications should undergo stricter review — but that the process should not be so strict that no Chinese would be allowed entry.
Additional reporting by Wang Jung-hsiang
POLITICAL AGENDA: Beijing’s cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival events are part of a ‘cultural united front’ aimed at promoting unification with Taiwan, academics said Local authorities in China have been inviting Taiwanese to participate in cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations centered around ideals of “family and nation,” a move Taiwanese academics said politicizes the holiday to promote the idea of “one family” across the Taiwan Strait. Sources said that China’s Fujian Provincial Government is organizing about 20 cross-strait-themed events in cities including Quanzhou, Nanping, Sanming and Zhangzhou. In Zhangzhou, a festival scheduled for Wednesday is to showcase Minnan-language songs and budaixi (布袋戲) glove puppetry to highlight cultural similarities between Taiwan and the region. Elsewhere, Jiangsu Province is hosting more than 10 similar celebrations in Taizhou, Changzhou, Suzhou,
COGNITIVE WARFARE: Chinese fishing boats transmitting fake identification signals are meant to test Taiwan’s responses to different kinds of perceived incursions, a report said Chinese vessels are transmitting fake signals in Taiwan’s waters as a form of cognitive warfare, testing Taipei’s responses to various types of incursions, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said on Friday. Several Chinese fishing vessels transmitted fake automatic identification system (AIS) signals in Taiwan’s waters last month, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another impersonating a Chinese law enforcement vessel, the report said. Citing data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the report said that throughout August and last month, the Chinese fishing boat Minshiyu 06718 (閩獅漁06718) sailed through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting its own AIS
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
CHINESE INFILTRATION: Medical logistics is a lifeline during wartime and the reported CCP links of a major logistics company present a national security threat, an expert said The government would bolster its security check system to prevent China from infiltrating the nation’s medical cold chain, a national security official said yesterday. The official, who wished to stay anonymous, made the remarks after the Chinese-language magazine Mirror Media (鏡周刊) reported that Pharma Logistics (嘉里醫藥物流) is in charge of the medical logistics of about half of the nation’s major hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The company’s parent, Kerry TJ Logistics Co (嘉里大榮物流), is associated with the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the
RSS