A pro-independence group yesterday warned that Taiwan must not become Beijing's pawn in the growing conflict between China and Japan, and stressed that fishing disputes between Taiwan and Japan should be handled through diplomatic channels, rather than by dispatching warships.
The Hand-in-Hand Taiwan Alliance (
Political commentators and lawmakers pointed out that these events show that many people in Taiwan are confused about their national identification and that if they succeed in provoking hostility between Taiwan and Japan, China is the only country that will benefit.
"Officials have to tackle international issues with cool heads -- impulsive actions won't work," said World United Formosans for Independence chairman Ng Chiau-tong (
Ng said that both Taiwan and Japan are democratic countries that respect freedom and human rights and that it is inappropriate for Wang and Minister of National Defense Lee Jye (
Chin Heng-wei (
"I'm afraid that the public's fears that the pan-blue camp is collaborating with China so that it can control Taiwan is true," Chin said.
DPP Legislator Chai Trong (蔡同榮) said Taiwan's fundamental security strategy is to ally with Japan and that fishing disputes should be settled through quiet diplomacy.
"Some people want Taiwan to confront Japan," Chai said. "I urge Taiwan not to confront Japan, but to ally with Japan. Taiwan has to be careful not to become China's pawn."
Lee Hsien-jen (李先仁), from the Taiwan Solidarity Union's (TSU) department of policy studies, said that former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) argued that the protection of fishermen and protection of sovereignty should be separate issues, and that the government should not sacrifice fishermen's rights because of sovereignty disputes.
"The present problem is the vague boundary," Lee Hsieh-jen said. "Therefore, the TSU will propose a law for defending and demarcating Taiwan's territory."
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
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