Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
Responding to legislator questioning at a routine interpellation session, Chang said that although Japanese cartoonist Yoshinori Kobayashi's (小林善) controversial comic book On Taiwan (
In the comic book, Kobayashi quoted senior presidential policy adviser Shi Wen-lung (
PHOTO: CHEN CHENG-CHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
Kobayashi also claimed that some of Taiwan's indigenous people willingly joined the Japanese army.
The ban, which the ministry earlier said it would re-evaluate, drew strong criticisms from one of President Chen Shui-bian's (
King was banned from entering Taiwan for three decades during the era of martial law, which did not come to an end until 1987.
Meanwhile, at another legislative session earlier in the day, opposition legislators demanded the dismissal of the two presidential advisers.
KMT lawmaker, Chen Ching-pao (
Lawmaker's were particularly incensed after King -- a longstanding supporter of Taiwan's independence -- said on a television talk show that she does not recognize the Republic of China.
Daring President Chen to step into the fray, Chen said the president should step forward to "say something" instead of "hiding in the Presidential Office" while his advisers "shame the whole nation."
Pro-China People First Party lawmaker Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) said that if King continues to say she is not an ROC citizen and does not recognize the Republic of China, then the president and the premier should not simply sit by while she "tramples all over the Republic of China," but should instead dismiss her from her post.
Meanwhile, a 30-member delegation of the radical Taiwan Independence Party staged a peaceful protest in front of the Ministry of the Interior to denounce its decision to ban Kobayashi from entry into Taiwan.
They said that Chinese President Jiang Zemin (
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
Authorities have detained three former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TMSC, 台積電) employees on suspicion of compromising classified technology used in making 2-nanometer chips, the Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office said yesterday. Prosecutors are holding a former TSMC engineer surnamed Chen (陳) and two recently sacked TSMC engineers, including one person surnamed Wu (吳) in detention with restricted communication, following an investigation launched on July 25, a statement said. The announcement came a day after Nikkei Asia reported on the technology theft in an exclusive story, saying TSMC had fired two workers for contravening data rules on advanced chipmaking technology. Two-nanometer wafers are the most
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
CHINA’s BULLYING: The former British prime minister said that he believes ‘Taiwan can and will’ protect its freedom and democracy, as its people are lovers of liberty Former British prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Western nations should have the courage to stand with and deepen their economic partnerships with Taiwan in the face of China’s intensified pressure. He made the remarks at the ninth Ketagalan Forum: 2025 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prospect Foundation in Taipei. Johnson, who is visiting Taiwan for the first time, said he had seen Taiwan’s coastline on a screen on his indoor bicycle, but wanted to learn more about the nation, including its artificial intelligence (AI) development, the key technology of the 21st century. Calling himself an