Responding yesterday to the uproar over his visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine during his Japan trip, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (
"Those I paid homage to at the Yasukuni Shrine are Taiwanese people's ancestors who died in a foreign land," Shu said.
"The last thing I would do is to recognize militarism," the TSU leader said.
"Those political parties and figures who criticized me should consider how much they did for their ancestors who are buried in a foreign land," he said.
Shu made the remarks yesterday morning at a TSU press conference welcoming 100 new members to the party.
The new TSU recruits gave Shu a bouquet of flowers and voiced support for him.
Shu and eight fellow TSU members came back from Japan on Tuesday evening and were greeted by hostile protesters, led by Aboriginal Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei (
When heading for the airport exit, Shu was manhandled by an angry mob.
"I believe that TSU's growth and maturity depends on the support of Taiwanese people and their identification with Taiwan," Shu said.
"I used to be in the military, so I wasn't intimidated by the protesters," he added.
At yesterday's TSU press conference, members of the pro-unification Patriot Association (
Shu said that his visit to Japan focused mainly on strengthening cooperation between Taiwan and Japan with regard to international security, and he felt sorry that some people distorted the intent of his visit into a tribute to Japanese militarism.
"It is ironic that some political parties to stigmatize my visit to Japan, yet justify their collaboration with China," Shu said.
"China has 700 missiles pointed at Taiwan ... they are the ones who embrace militarism," he said.
TSU spokesman Chen Chien-ming (
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
"China's `Anti-Secession' Law is aimed at resolving the `Taiwan issue' with `non-peaceful means,'" Lee said.
"This has aroused concern from the international community about China expanding its military capabilities. I think that's a point that people should pay attention to," he said
"According to the DPP's policy, we aim to settle disputes with peaceful means, not force. We oppose militarism of any kind," Lee said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS