President Chen Shui-bian (
Chirac on Monday described Taiwan's referendum as a "grave error" during a state banquet in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao's (
The French president said Taiwan's referendum was a unilateral destabilizing initiative that would disturb the status quo. "It would be a grave error. It would carry a heavy responsibility," Chirac said at the banquet.
Taiwan immediately lodged a complaint with the French government about Chirac's remarks.
"The referendum mechanism has been used in France since 1791 as a part of the nation's democracy. Nine referendums were held during the Fifth Republic period, and four under president Charles de Gaulle," Chen said at a reception at the Presidential Office for Fernando Sanchez-Arias, world president of the Junior Chamber International, an international federation for young leaders and entrepreneurs.
"Even President Chirac himself has carried out a national referendum in 2000 to decide whether to adjust the length of the presidential term," Chen said.
"It was incomprehensible to me that the head of state of such a nation, with a 213-year history of practicing referendums, could dare to interfere in another nation's domestic affairs," he said.
Chen told Sanchez-Arias that the referendum was a necessary step on Taiwan's path toward a democratic system, which will be the most important mechanism to ensure Taiwan's security and the welfare of the country's future generations.
Chen said that Taiwan's economy has taken a turn for the better, and that various infrastructure construction projects have been initiated, which means that the worst is over and the best times are yet to come.
The reform process could not be stopped halfway, and no one could deprive Taiwan of its democracy, the president said.
"Taiwan's way to democracy is a way we cannot abandon. We have to insist on the correct way and keep walking. It's a road of no return, and a milestone for Tai-wan's deep-rooting of democracy," Chen said.
"Taiwanese people have a right to a referendum. Only by believing that no one can govern or betray us can Taiwan avoid becoming a local government of another country, changing the status quo unilaterally, and sending our children to the battlefield," Chen said.
He also denied Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
"When I was still a legislator, I debated the direct election issue with Ma, who was then the minster of justice. It was later proved that we stood on the correct side of history, and this is still the mainstream public opinion," Chen said.
The president has toned down the wording of the questions in the referendum, which is slated to be held along with the March 20 presidential election. Instead of being asked whether they want China to remove the 496 ballistic missiles targeted at Taiwan, voters will be asked whether they approve of Taiwan's defensive capabilities being upgraded against a possible Chinese military threat. Citizens will also be asked to vote on whether to negotiate for peaceful coexistence with China.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS