A resolution presented to the US House of Representatives that would require the US president to ask Taiwan to send marines to Iraq caused further disputes yesterday, as it was rumored a major Taiwanese lobby group was behind the move.
Two pro-Taiwan US House members -- Dana Rohrabacher, co-chairman of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, and Jim Ryun, also a member of the Taiwan Caucus -- introduced a resolution last Thursday calling for US President George W. Bush to ask Taiwan to deploy troops to Iraq.
The resolution said that Taiwan was studying the feasibility of sending up to 5,000 marines to Iraq to fight alongside US-led forces.
Local media reported that the two representatives prepared the resolution based on information provided by the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), a pro-independence lobbying group made up of Taiwanese-Americans.
FAPA denied the report yesterday, saying it did not take the initiative to provide information to the two representatives, although it acknowledged that Rohrabacher consulted the group before introducing the resolution.
The group also said it supported the deployment of Taiwanese troops in Iraq as a way to improve Taiwan-US relations.
FAPA President Wu Ming-chi (
"Implementation of the resolution would help reduce the burden on the US armed forces in Iraq. Implementation would not only be the most tangible demonstration of Taiwan's pledge to join the global war on terrorism, it would also de-monstrate that Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community and ready, willing and able to take up the responsibilities that come with that status," Wu said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator and FAPA founding president Trong Tsai (
"Although Taiwan may become a terrorist target with the implementation of the resolution, it would be unfriendly of us to the US if we turn down the request when it comes up," Tsai said.
A few other DPP legislators also favored the idea, saying that if Taiwan could send troops to Iraq, it would form a military quasi-alliance between the two countries.
But DPP Legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (
Opposition caucuses also criticized the move.
"We oppose a war that is unjustified. The government should not try to meddle in this mess," Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus whip Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said. The TSU traditionally supports the DPP.
"We do support the government in helping Iraqis with reconstruction and rebuilding their homes so that the international community would know that Taiwan loves peace," Chen said.
KMT caucus whip Liao Feng-teh (
The PFP caucus said that the US-Iraq war was unjustified and Taiwan should not send troops.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS