The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday that the government should freeze talks on cross-strait charter flights during the Tomb-sweeping Day period in early April and should reassess its overall China policy.
Chen Chin-chun (
Pu and Lo, on behalf of each side of the Taiwan Strait, completed discussion on the charter flights for the Lunar New Year holiday in early January, in which the model of joint-participation of air carriers on both sides, and nonstop two-way flights in Hong Kong or Macau was adopted.
Chen noted that the successful launch of cross-strait charter flights during the Lunar New Year holiday should have eased cross-strait relations, but that didn't stop China from pushing its proposed "anti-secession" law targeting Taiwan.
He said that China threatens "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan in the proposed law, but the law also stipulates that it will encourage and promote cross-strait economic exchanges and cooperation, establish direct trade, postal and transportation links and closer economic relations for mutual benefit.
Chen described Beijing's talk about charter flights during the Tomb-sweeping Day period as part of a "carrot and stick" approach that he said lacks true goodwill.
The opposition parties were also lukewarm about talks on the Tomb-sweeping charter flights, with the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) saying that the government should deal with it wisely.
KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (
Chang said that the US responded positively to cross-strait charter flights during the Lunar New Year holiday and claimed that if Taiwan cannot agree to such services for Tomb-sweeping Day, the US could apply pressure to the DPP government.
The KMT's ally, the People First Party, said it "would be better to slow down" on discussing cross-trait charter flights at present.
PFP caucus whip Chen Chih-bin (陳志彬) said it would be "a bit strange" for the two sides to discuss the charter flight issue in light of China's anti-secession law.
The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said it opposes the flights.
TSU caucus whip Lo Chih-ming (
He added that the anti-secession law is like a big stick used to threaten Taiwan and that the country should not kowtow to China. Until Beijing responds with goodwill, Taiwan should not be over-enthusiastic, he said.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS