China's continued adherence to the May 17 Statement only serves to put limitations on the "normal development" of cross-strait relations, the Mainland Affairs Council said in response to a series of remarks recently coming out of China.
Vice Chairman Johnnason Liu (劉德勳) yesterday made a three-point response to recent remarks made by Wang Zaixi (王在希), vice minister of China's Taiwan Affairs Office office spokesman Li Weiyi (李維一) and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait.
"Resuming dialogue is the most urgent task both sides face right now, and the council has already said on several occasions that we are willing to engage in negotiations with no political preconditions to discuss concerns held in common by both sides," Liu said yesterday.
During a press conference on Nov 17, Li rebuffed President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposal, issued during his National Security Meeting ten-point statement, to use the "Hong Kong model" to immediately initiate discussions on Lunar New Year charter flights.
Li said Taiwan's adherence to "one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait" stood in the way of negotiations and further called on Taiwan to recognize the so-called "1992 Consensus" and the "one China" principle.
"Judging from the remarks made by Chinese officials lately, we feel that China continues to employ the political stance expressed in its May 17 Statement and aims to limit the normal development of relations unilaterally," Liu said, adding that China's criticisms of Taiwan were "unreasonable."
"The development of cross-strait relations depends on a concerted effort from both sides of the Strait," Liu also said, reiterating that cross-strait peace was a responsibility of both Taiwan and China.
Liu said that despite the goodwill that Chen had extended in his inauguration speech, his National Day Speech and his National Security Meeting statement, China had failed to give a complete or positive response on each occasion.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS