Taiwan could learn a great deal about unity from the US and its response to last week's terrorist attacks, former president Lee Teng-hui (
"Look at the US. At its most difficult moment, members of the Congress, regardless of party affiliation, have all joined together. ... That is what a democratic country should be like," Lee told members of the Board of Industrial Park Manufacturers Federation at a luncheon yesterday.
PHOTO: HU WEI-MIN, TAIPEI TIMES
"Taiwan, on the other hand, is nothing like that," Lee said. "The lawmakers just act out skits like they are a part of some big drama and I have no idea what drama they think they are acting in. This type of behavior will only create fear and cause people to worry about our future.
"If you ask me, I am afraid for Taiwan's future," Lee said.
While President Chen Shui-bian (
"Some parties and some people are purposely pulling President Chen down to see whether he will collapse. What kind of attitude is that?" Lee asked.
"The only thing that these politicians dream about is getting back their power and becoming the next president. While Taiwan is in economic recession we cannot allow this chaos to continue."
Yesterday's luncheon was arranged by Huang Tzung-yuan (黃宗源), president of the manufacturers' association, and the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
DPP candidate for Taichung City Mayor Tsai Ming-hsien (蔡明憲) was also in attendance.
Lee also defended his "no haste, be patient" policy yesterday, responding to recent comments made by Formosa Plastics tycoon Wang Yung-ching (
Lee said the policy had its time and purpose, but it wasn't responsible for driving Taiwan's economy into its current quagmire as Wang had claimed.
"The policy was made to help protect Taiwan's high-tech and infrastructure industries. Under the `no haste, be patient' policy, Taiwan's economic growth was stable and people were still making money," Lee said.
Lee also said he wasn't opposed to investment in China.
"I am not opposed to people making money in China. I encourage businessmen to make money everywhere in the world, but to be careful," Lee said.
He did, however, take issue with the government's timing of relaxing restrictions imposed by the policy, which limits investments to US$50 million and bans certain types of investments in China.
"The problem is that now -- at a time when you need blood -- you are still drawing blood and giving it to someone else," Lee said.
"The only thing that we can count on is China's cheaper labor. However, labor salaries will rise in China in the near future and they will experience the same problems Taiwan is experiencing right now.
"Taiwan should focus on improving our infrastructure industries and improving our investment environment rather than just moving our roots to China," he said.
LONG FLIGHT: The jets would be flown by US pilots, with Taiwanese copilots in the two-seat F-16D variant to help familiarize them with the aircraft, the source said The US is expected to fly 10 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70/72 jets to Taiwan over the coming months to fulfill a long-awaited order of 66 aircraft, a defense official said yesterday. Word that the first batch of the jets would be delivered soon was welcome news to Taiwan, which has become concerned about delays in the delivery of US arms amid rising military tensions with China. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the initial tranche of the nation’s F-16s are rolling off assembly lines in the US and would be flown under their own power to Taiwan by way
OBJECTS AT SEA: Satellites with synthetic-aperture radar could aid in the detection of small Chinese boats attempting to illegally enter Taiwan, the space agency head said Taiwan aims to send the nation’s first low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite into space in 2027, while the first Formosat-8 and Formosat-9 spacecraft are to be launched in October and 2028 respectively, the National Science and Technology Council said yesterday. The council laid out its space development plan in a report reviewed by members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee. Six LEO satellites would be produced in the initial phase, with the first one, the B5G-1A, scheduled to be launched in 2027, the council said in the report. Regarding the second satellite, the B5G-1B, the government plans to work with private contractors
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he