The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) refrained yesterday from commenting on People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (
But high-ranking officials said last night that the government would watch whether Soong faithfully relays the contents of the 10 point agreement to Beijing authorities during his stay.
Speaking during the council's weekly press briefing yesterday, Council Vice Chairman You Ying-lung (
An anonymous high-ranking official, however, indicated that the government did not put too much emphasis on Soong's public remarks, focusing instead on what the PFP leader might say during a closed-door meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (
The official reiterated that Soong was not the Chen's messenger or envoy, saying that while the PFP's stance was very different from the DPP's, consensus in certain areas was possible.
He said that Soong's public remarks so far were representative only of the PFP's stance. Soong, since arriving in China, has made clear his opposition to Taiwan's independence and reiterated the so-called "1992 consensus."
The government has long denied that any such consensus on the "one China" principle was reached between Taiwan and China during talks in 1992.
The official said the government was making adjustments along the way in dealing with what he said was an unprecedented situation for cross-strait ties.
"We really don't have any similar experiences upon which we can draw," he said.
"We don't want to forgo any opportunity to bring about official dialogue and at the same time talks on functional matters, such as tourism," he said. "This needs to be discussed to be implemented."
The official also remarked that the government would have to get hold of the details of the Soong-Hu meeting, along with any comments Beijing makes at the conclusion of Soong's trip, before assessing whether there has been a softening in Beijing's Taiwan policy.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) criticized Soong yesterday for deviating from the consensus with Chen by trying too hard to ingratiate himself with Beijing.
DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
Lee said that the DPP was "surprised" by Soong's remarks about opposing Taiwan independence, two Chinas, "one China, one Taiwan" and the "special state-to-state" theory of cross-strait relations, adding that if all these options for Taiwan's future are ruled out, then all that remains is the "one China" framework set by Beijing.
"Soong has completely denied the existence of the sovereignty of the Republic of China [ROC]," Lee said.
"Has the Republic of China disappeared and become a province of the People's Republic of China? Has it become a local government or a special administrative region?" Lee said.
He demanded that Soong clearly define the status of the ROC and its sovereignty.
Although Soong's visit is considered to have Chen's endorsement because of a 10-point agreement the two men reached in a Feb. 24 meeting, Lee said that Soong's remarks in Xian went beyond the agreement.
He said Soong's comments have led to Taiwan "losing all its bargaining chips" with China.
Lee lambasted both Soong and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Lien Chan (
In related news yesterday, DPP legislative caucus whip William Lai (
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or