"The biggest crisis facing Taiwan is that, even without the existence of [Beijing's] `Anti-Secession' Law, the country itself has fallen apart first with its continued division and infighting."
President Chen Shui-bian (
Similar concerns were expressed by a member of the public named Chuang Sheng-jung (莊勝榮), who in a letter published in a local Chinese-language daily yesterday said: "Who needs an enemy like Communist China when one has a selfish opposition party?"
Noting that the remarks made by Chen reflected "his personal feelings due to the distrust opposition parties have toward him," political observers said that aside from the political arena -- where partisan division is apparent and emotions run high -- people in Taiwan generally all get along pretty well.
"The KMT's China trip -- made against the backdrop of Beijing's newly-enacted Anti-Secession Law -- indeed does, however, cause confusion among the international community in terms of Taiwan's stance," said Ku Chung-hwa (
Headed by KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun (
Ku said that while the KMT's official visit to China may have significance to the party given its past history, it "should heed the mainstream opinion in Taiwan and thus, be more careful with its conduct."
Chiang's trip comes at a sensitive time, given that the delegation left just two days after around a million people demonstrated on the streets of Taipei to protest the Anti-Secession Law, which codifies the use of "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan.
"The timing of the KMT's visit to China without doubt confuses the international community and may very well create somewhat of an illusion to the world that the people of Taiwan are not that opposed to Beijing's law -- as the rally otherwise suggested," Ku said.
Expressing a similar view, political observer and the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Monthly magazine, Chin Heng-wei (
"When it comes to dealing with cross-strait issues, KMT members oftentimes dismiss others' criticism as unfairly coloring them red," Chin said.
"This time around, however, the KMT cannot and should not blame others for painting them red with China brush because with what they've done, they are seemingly the ones inviting others to paint them red," Chin said.
Noting that the KMT is a Taiwanese opposition party, Ku suggested that it should devote more time to becoming a localized party instead of scratching its head over how to deal with the other side of the Taiwan Strait.
"Otherwise, I fear the KMT may eventually drift further and further away from the people of Taiwan," Ku said.
Political analysts said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government should -- in the wake of last Saturday's rally -- make relevant adjustments in its policies regarding cross-strait affairs and economic issues, to show the people of Taiwan that the Chen administration is responsible and that it takes the people's wellbeing seriously.
"The million-people rally, as passionate as it may have been, was after all just an event carried out by the people; the Chen Shui-bian administration ... should put forth with more substantive actions in response to the series of events in the wake of the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law, Chiang's visit to China, as well as the letter recently published by [Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp founder] Hsu Wen-long (
"I think there is room for the DPP administration to do something more," he added.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai