Premier Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that both sides of the Taiwan Strait can talk about any issues in consultations and dialogue, even the "one China" rhetoric cherished by China, and there will be no bottom line.
The premier was responding to questions by Legislator Cheng Kuo-chung (鄭國忠) of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Legislative Yuan. Cheng asked how the Executive Yuan is going to follow through on President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) call for the resumption of cross-strait dialogue in his Double Ten National Day message.
Chen said he would propose that both sides use the basis of the 1992 meeting in Hong Kong to seek possible ways that are "not necessarily perfect, but accept-able" in preparation for a step forward in the resumption of dialogue and consultations.
The premier said a 1992 meeting in Hong Kong paved the way for the first high-ranking negotiations between China and Taiwan the following year, but that there is no such thing as the "1992 consensus."
The president's words that the Hong Kong meeting could be used as a basis aims to put aside cross-strait disputes on sovereignty and engage in pragmatic exchanges, Yu said, stressing that his words should not be twisted to imply a consensus was reached in 1992.
On cross-strait issues the president touched on in his address, including arms control to avoid conflicts, confidence-building measures through consultations and dialogues, and the establishment of a "code of conduct across the Taiwan Strait," Yu said that the government has "made preparations for cross-strait matters."
"There will be no bottom line for cross-strait consultations, he said, so anything can be discussed, including possible venues and timing.
"The government is extending an olive branch in sincerity, and is hoping to have a positive response from China," Yu said.
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
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
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