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.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
Instead of focusing solely on the threat of a full-scale military invasion, the US and its allies must prepare for a potential Chinese “quarantine” of Taiwan enforced through customs inspections, Stanford University Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann said in a Foreign Affairs article published on Wednesday. China could use various “gray zone” tactics in “reconfiguring the regional and ultimately the global economic order without a war,” said Freymann, who is also a nonresident research fellow at the US Naval War College. China might seize control of Taiwan’s links to the outside world by requiring all flights and ships entering or leaving Taiwan
The next minimum wage hike is expected to exceed NT$30,000, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during an award ceremony honoring “model workers,” including migrant workers, at the Presidential Office ahead of Workers’ Day today. Lai said he wished to thank the awardees on behalf of the nation and extend his most sincere respect for their hard work, on which Taiwan’s prosperity has been built. Lai specifically thanked 10 migrant workers selected for the award, saying that although they left their home countries to further their own goals, their efforts have benefited Taiwan as well. The nation’s industrial sector and small businesses lay
Taiwan's first indigenous defense submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), departed for its 13th sea trial at 7am today, marking its seventh submerged test, with delivery to the navy scheduled for July. The outing also marked its first sea deployment since President William Lai (賴清德) boarded the submarine for an inspection on March 19, drawing a crowd of military enthusiasts who gathered to show support. The submarine this morning departed port accompanied by CSBC Corp’s Endeavor Manta (奮進魔鬼魚號) uncrewed surface vessel and a navy M109 assault boat. Amid public interest in key milestones such as torpedo-launching operations and overnight submerged trials,
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