Several high-ranking Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday continued to slam DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung's (
Kaohsiung City Mayor Frank Hsieh (
DPP caucus whip Lee Chun-yee (
"As far as I know, a significant number of PFP members oppose cooperation with the DPP and they want to manipulate the DPP and make it abandon its basic line, which is impossible for us," Lee Chun-yee said.
"Lee Wen-chung's words would only be a catalyst to such a scenario," he added.
DPP New Tide faction (
"If `goodwill' means to ask people to give up their principles, such goodwill is only a product of the autocratic era," Lin said.
Lee Wen-chung is one member of the New Tide faction, which is known for its creation of new political theories for the party.
The office of the New Tide faction yesterday afternoon issued a press release to counter Lee's remarks, saying the it felt sorry that he expressed such an idea without first consulting members of the faction.
"The New Tide faction was an important participant in drafting party programs that are related to issues of cross-strait relations, and those guidelines were also the common view of the party rank and file," the press release said.
DPP Legislator Lin Chung-mo (
Despite the chorus of criticism, Lee Wen-chung yesterday insisted that the DPP should relinquish its "Taiwan Independence clause," and the PFP should drop out its "one-China roof" principle -- the product of PFP Chairman James Soong (
In other news, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) legislator yesterday strongly opposed the PFP's Taiwan peace law (
TSU Legislator Cheng Cheng-lung (
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central