In response to PFP Chairman James Soong's (
"Everyone in Taiwan is free to go to China since Taiwan is a democratic society," Su said. "But I once again call on them to respect the country's laws when it comes to matters involving the government's authority."
On the question of whether there will be another meeting between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Soong before Soong's trip to China, Su said he is not aware of Soong's intentions, but that but the more communication between politicians and the government, the better off the country will be.
Echoing Su's remark, DPP legislative whip Lai Ching-teh (
Lai said he thinks it likely that Lien will indeed make a visit to China, after he was invited by Chinese President Hu Jintao (
Lien is set to visit China later this month. The visit will make Lien the first KMT chairman to set foot on Chinese soil since the KMT withdrew to Taiwan more than five decades ago. Soong will likely visit Beijing in early May, also at the invitation of Hu.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) suggested yesterday that Soong hold a second meeting with President Chen to get government authorization before he visits China. TSU whip Lo Chih-ming (
The TSU is opposed to visits by political party leaders to China without government authorization because such visits, even if made in private capacities, erode Taiwan's sovereignty and undermine the president's legal status as head of state, Lo said.
Chen and Soong met on Feb. 24 and clinched a 10-point agreement pledging, among other things, to maintain the national title of the Republic of China and not to declare Taiwanese independence, in a move to mitigate cross-strait tensions.
TSU Legislator Ho Min-hao (
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address
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