President Chen Shui-bian (
"As ordinary people, we are not able to find out what the goddess really thinks about (these things)," President Chen said yesterday during a visit to Chaotien Temple (
"Cross-strait religious exchange has been going on for years, therefore there is no need to influence public opinion in the name of a god's [or goddess'] will."
During his visit to Yunlin yesterday, Chen said he wanted to learn from Matsu's spirit to take care of all people without any preconditions.
"The religious belief of Matsu originated in China, yet the goddess cherishes all people and land in Taiwan," President Chen said.
Chen said that even though Matsu is omniscient, she still need-ed two guards -- the farsighted person (
"Like Matsu, the government has to carefully mark out the regulation of direct religious links. Otherwise, it will bring more problems if we execute this policy hastily."
Chaotien Temple and Chenlan Temple (
Yen said publicly that Matsu had decided the date of the pilgrimage and that over 3,000 followers would participate.
At the time, Yen had said the trip had to be carried out as it was Matsu's will.
However, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) officials repeatedly told lawmakers in the Legislative Yuan that the government would need six months to establish a plan for the links, paying special attention to its national security implications, then draw up all related regulations for opening up a direct religious link.
In the end, Chenlan Temple gave up its plan to make a direct sea voyage to China and later announced it would travel to Fujian Province's Meizhou island, Matsu's birthplace, by air.
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) had also said: "it is totally inappropriate for religious figures to try to manipulate the government into opening a direct link with China by claiming it is a decree from Matsu."
While President Chen visited Chaotien Temple, officials from the MAC went to Chenlan Temple in Taichung County yesterday morning to explain the government's policy, as well as worship Matsu to bless the pilgrimage.
"We hope followers of Matsu can realize that the government needs time to negotiate with China to discuss those issues of certificates, ship routes and other issues," said Chen Ming-tung (
"Only when [both sides of Taiwan Strait] sign some clear agreement on paper that will guarantee people's rights and safety will be protected, then the government will put into practice the direct links policy," Chen said.
The Outlying Islands Development Act was passed shortly after the new government was elected, the details of which are still awaiting government approval.
The Act was passed in the hope that opening up direct trade between China and Taiwan's outlying islands would strengthen their already cash-strapped economies.
CREDIT-GRABBER: China said its coast guard rescued the crew of a fishing vessel that caught fire, who were actually rescued by a nearby Taiwanese boat and the CGA Maritime search and rescue operations do not have borders, and China should not use a shipwreck to infringe upon Taiwanese sovereignty, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said yesterday. The coast guard made the statement in response to the China Coast Guard (CCG) saying it saved a Taiwanese fishing boat. The Chuan Yu No. 6 (全漁6號), a fishing vessel registered in Keelung, on Thursday caught fire and sank in waters northeast of Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台). The vessel left Keelung’s Badouzih Fishing Harbor (八斗子漁港) at 3:35pm on Sunday last week, with seven people on board — a 62-year-old Taiwanese captain surnamed Chang (張) and six
RISKY BUSINESS: The ‘incentives’ include initiatives that get suspended for no reason, creating uncertainty and resulting in considerable losses for Taiwanese, the MAC said China’s “incentives” failed to sway sentiment in Taiwan, as willingness to work in China hit a record low of 1.6 percent, a Ministry of Labor survey showed. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) also reported that the number of Taiwanese workers in China has nearly halved from a peak of 430,000 in 2012 to an estimated 231,000 in 2024. That marked a new low in the proportion of Taiwanese going abroad to work. The ministry’s annual survey on “Labor Life and Employment Status” includes questions respondents’ willingness to seek employment overseas. Willingness to work in China has steadily declined from
The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee yesterday approved proposed amendments to the Amusement Tax Act (娛樂稅法) that would abolish taxes on films, cultural activities and competitive sporting events, retaining the fee only for dance halls and golf courses. The proposed changes would set the maximum tax rate for dance halls and golf courses at 50 and 20 percent respectively, with local governments authorized to suspend the levies. Article 2 of the act says that “amusement tax shall be levied on tickets sold or fees charged by amusement places, facilities or activities” in six categories: “Cinema; professional singing, story-telling, dancing, circus, magic show, acrobatics
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
RSS