President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday in Kaohsiung City that Taiwan will firmly anchor itself within the world community by shouldering its share of international responsibility.
Chen told the sixth Asian-Pacific Non-governmental Organization Conference on the Environment that the Taiwan never forgets its duty to the world and will work together with international groups which share its concerns for sustainable development.
Noting that any development which spoils the environment will not last long, Chen said Asian-Pacific states should bear this in mind while pursuing their economic development.
Chen said that environmental protection measures worked out by the government cannot be effective without the participation of the general public -- and that is where NGOs can help.
The conference on the environment, called by the Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan, began Friday. It has brought together 100-odd environmental specialists from 16 countries.
The participants will discuss water management, ocean and coastal management, urban environment, wetlands and biodiversity, public and private partnerships in environmental management among other issues at the four-day conference.
Meanwhile Vice President Annette Lu (
"Because of Taiwan's successful democratic development and the outstanding achievements of President Chen's administration, more and more countries and international organizations are interested in visiting our country," Lu said when inspecting infrastructure in southern Taiwan.
"I hope to set up at least three multi-function parks in the country -- one each in the northern, central and southern parts of Taiwan. And each park should be well equipped for holding large conventions in the future," she said.
Lu, accompanied by foreign business leaders and local government officials, visited some historical spots at the Ta-pan Bay in Pingtung County. She said that there should be a cultural and tourism park or conference center there to prepare for the future direct trade, transport, and postal with China.
"Such parks or centers will not only to help increase local-government revenue but more importantly, will increase Taiwan's visibility in the international community," she said.
Lu also urged the government to invite foreign business leaders to invest in the plan so that Taiwan's tourism industries may develop a strategic alliance with those international enterprises.
"Taiwan can become Asia's Switzerland and Kaohsiung's port is the the best place to launch direct links once the two sides of the Taiwan Strait agree.
"Then southern Taiwan may become one of the economic, cultural, and tourist attractions of the Eastern Asia, and possibly the world," Lu said.
FAST TRACK? Chinese spouses must renounce their Chinese citizenship and pledge allegiance to Taiwan to gain citizenship, some demonstrators said Opponents and supporters of a bill that would allow Chinese spouses to obtain Taiwanese citizenship in four years instead of six staged protests near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday morning. Those who oppose the bill proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) demanded that Chinese spouses be granted citizenship only after renouncing their Chinese citizenship, passing a citizenship test and pledging allegiance to Taiwan. The demonstrators, who were protesting at a side entrance to the Legislative Yuan on Jinan Road, were mostly members of the Taiwan Association of University Professors and other organizations advocating Taiwanese independence. Supporters of the bill, led
SILENT MAJORITY: Only 1 percent of Chinese rejected all options but war to annex Taiwan, while one-third viewed war as unacceptable, a university study showed Many Chinese are more concerned with developments inside their country than with seeking unification with Taiwan, al-Jazeera reported on Friday. Although China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, 23-year-old Chinese Shao Hongtian was quoted by al-Jazeera as saying that “hostilities are not the way to bring China and Taiwan together.” “I want unification to happen peacefully,” Shao said. Al-Jazeera said it changed Shao’s name to respect his wish for anonymity. If peaceful unification is not possible, Shao said he would prefer “things to remain as they are,” adding that many of his friends feel
Taiwan has “absolute air superiority” over China in its own airspace, Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday, amid concern over whether Taipei could defend itself against a military incursion by Beijing. Po made the remarks in response to a question from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) on whether Taiwan would have partial or complete air superiority if Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes were to enter Taiwan’s airspace. Po, a retired pilot, said that the Taiwanese military has “absolute air superiority” over PLA
A shipment of basil pesto imported by Costco Wholesale Taiwan from the US in the middle of last month was intercepted at the border after testing positive for excessive pesticide residue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. Samples taken from a shipment of the Kirkland Signature brand of basil pesto imported by Costco contained 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of ethylene oxide, exceeding the non-detectable limit. Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic substance that can be used as a pesticide. The 674kg shipment of basil pesto would either be destroyed or returned to its country of origin, as is the procedure for all