US Secretary of State Colin Powell's change of phrase in a television interview yesterday does not indicate that he has retracted an earlier denial of Taiwan's sovereignty, pan-blue officials said yesterday.
"Powell did not actually say himself that he misspoke nor did he retract his earlier remarks. I don't see how his interview makes any difference," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) spokesperson Chang Jung-kung (
Powell created a political shockwave when he strayed from Washington's long-standing policy in two different television interviews on Monday.
In the interviews, Powell denied that Taiwan is a sovereign nation and said that the US hoped for a "peaceful reunification" of China and Taiwan.
Speaking on the US network CNBC on Wednesday, Powell changed tack, referring to "a peaceful resolution of the problem" between Taiwan and China, but did mention or clarify his previous comments about cross-strait "reunification."
Since Monday, opposition parties have seized upon Powell's remarks as proof that the actions of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) administration have antagonized Taiwan-US relations and increased tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Pan-blue parties were left similarly unimpressed by Powell's latest interview.
"The PFP [People First Party] holds to its prior position about Powell's comments. We are now tasting the consequences of Chen's policies. All I can say is that the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] government has shown lousy implementation of foreign policy and has isolated Taiwan," PFP spokesperson Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交) said yesterday.
Despite Powell's seeming change of heart on Wednesday, Hwang said he believed that Powell's original comments still stand.
Chang agreed.
"So what if he [Powell] said that the US is hoping for a `peaceful resolution?' Of course it does; would it want an un-peaceful resolution?" Chang said.
Taiwan should take Powell's original comments as the possible consensus of the US leadership and bring about a policy change accordingly, Chang said.
Meanwhile, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said that Powell's remarks and actions reminded him of "similar things that happened when the US broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan."
"Powell chose to be interviewed by CNN and Phoenix TV. While CNN broadcasts to the whole world, Phoenix TV speaks to the Chinese community worldwide. Powell's remarks have also been published on the US State Department's Web site, and the act seems to be telling the whole world about Powell's ideas," Wang said.
Wang said that Taiwan should collect further information on the matter before making any judgment.
Additional reporting by Debby Wu
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau is again on the front line as China, and the US and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic nation of just 17,000 people hosts US-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the US military describes as “critical” to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the second island chain, a string of
Taiwan will now have four additional national holidays after the Legislative Yuan passed an amendment today, which also made Labor Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) used their majority in the Legislative Yuan to pass the amendment to the Act on Implementing Memorial Days and State Holidays (紀念日及節日實施辦法), which the parties jointly proposed, in its third and final reading today. The legislature passed the bill to amend the act, which is currently enforced administratively, raising it to the legal level. The new legislation recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck about 33km off the coast of Hualien City was the "main shock" in a series of quakes in the area, with aftershocks expected over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Prior to the magnitude 5.9 quake shaking most of Taiwan at 6:53pm yesterday, six other earthquakes stronger than a magnitude of 4, starting with a magnitude 5.5 quake at 6:09pm, occurred in the area. CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) confirmed that the quakes were all part of the same series and that the magnitude 5.5 temblor was
RSS