President Chen Shui-bian (
"As the 11th president of the Republic of China [ROC], I support Chinese culture and respect the revolution of history," he said. "And I cannot and will not interfere with the editing and compilation of history by professionals."
Chen said that he recognizes and approves of Chinese culture, but emphasized that Chinese culture does not equal to Sinicization. He said this is a point that many people can understand.
Chen made the remarks while attending the Chinese Cultural Revival sports carnival.
He pointed out that as president and one of the 23 million people in the country, he -- as well as other administration officials -- has the utmost respect for historical evolution and no value differentiation.
Chen rejected accusations by opposition parties that the Ministry of Education's attempts to change the syllabus of high-school history textbooks is politically motivated and aimed at moving toward Tai-wan's independence.
He said those who think that rewriting the curriculum is an act of disrespect toward the nation's ancestors or who want the minister of education to resign are regrettable.
Chen said he hoped that those politicians who are trying to benefit from creating controversy should not make an issue of the guidelines for the high-school history curriculum.
Meanwhile, Examination Yuan member Lin Yu-ti (
"Sun was one of the four biggest rebel bandits wanted by the Manchu Dynasty," Lin said during a TV interview. "If he could be venerated as a founding father, why not the other three bandits?"
Lin said he did not regret raising the issue during the legislative election campaign.
"They [pan-blue parties' supporters and candidates] threw eggs at my portrait. What a waste," he said.
"I will not withdraw just because of those political clowns' behavior," he said.
Asked by reporters whether he will campaign for pan-green candidates to further push his ideas about Taiwan's history, Lin said that he is fighting for a review of history, which had been spoiled by five decades of KMT rule, not to serve any particular political party.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS