A People First Party (PFP) lawmaker yesterday quoted a Chinese official as saying that relations between Taiwan and China were on an even footing for the time being.
PFP lawmaker and former speaker of the Legislative Yuan Liu Sung-fan (
"The official's remarks indicate that relations across the Taiwan Strait will remain stable, at least for now," Liu said.
But Liu, who has been leading a group of lawmakers from the opposition party on a visit to China, said Chen didn't say specifically how long the current calm in cross-strait relations would remain.
Liu said many in China are concerned about cross-strait relations after Taiwan made its first democratic transition of power by electing a DPP president.
Liu said he had asked the official whether there would be any change in Beijing's policy toward Taiwan following the mainland leadership's recent policy review meeting in Beidaihe.
"The official just said the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will have a period of quietness, but he didn't elaborate on the meaning of quietness," Liu said.
The PFP group briefed the press yesterday in Shanghai on the results of its mainland visit. Liu said the group had met with senior mainland officials in Beijing to discuss cross-strait problems and difficulties faced by Taiwan investors in China.
"No matter what officials have said about cross-strait relations, my observation is that China wants an early opening for direct cross-strait trade, shipping, mail and transportation links," Liu said.
Moreover, Liu said, China still welcomes Taiwan investments on the mainland. "Although our government adopts a `no haste, be patient' policy to discourage our businessmen from starting new cross-strait investment projects, mainland authorities will continue their efforts to attract Taiwan capital," he said.
After extensive talks with Taiwan businessmen based in China, Liu said most of them hope to see an early resumption of cross-strait dialogue to resolve many practical issues.
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
WARNING: People in coastal areas need to beware of heavy swells and strong winds, and those in mountainous areas should brace for heavy rain, the CWA said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday issued sea and land warnings for Typhoon Ragasa, forecasting that it would continue to intensify and affect the nation the most today and tomorrow. People in Hualien and Taitung counties, and mountainous areas in Yilan and Pingtung counties, should brace for damage caused by extremely heavy rain brought by the typhoon’s outer rim, as it was upgraded to a super typhoon yesterday morning, the CWA said. As of 5:30pm yesterday, the storm’s center was about 630km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving northwest at 21kph, and its maximum wind speed had reached
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said that it expected to issue a sea warning for Typhoon Ragasa this morning and a land warning at night as it approached Taiwan. Ragasa intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon at 8am yesterday, the CWA said, adding that at 2pm, it was about 1,110km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip. The typhoon was moving northwest at 13kph, with sustained winds of up to 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA Web site showed. Forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said that Ragasa was projected to strengthen as it neared the Bashi Channel, with its 200km
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: Hualien and Taitung counties declared today a typhoon day, while schools and offices in parts of Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties are also to close Typhoon Ragasa was forecast to hit its peak strength and come closest to Taiwan from yesterday afternoon through today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Taiwan proper could be out of the typhoon’s radius by midday and the sea warning might be lifted tonight, it added. CWA senior weather specialist Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said that Ragasa’s radius had reached the Hengchun Peninsula by 11am yesterday and was expected to hit Taitung County and Kaohsiung by yesterday evening. Ragasa was forecast to move to Taiwan’s southern offshore areas last night and to its southwestern offshore areas early today, she added. As of 8pm last night,
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