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."
Typhoon Champi is forecast to turn northward earlier than previously expected, sparing Taiwan a direct hit but still bringing heavy rain to the north of the country on Friday and Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Typhoon Champi had strengthened and increased in size over the past 12 hours, and as of yesterday afternoon, was packing sustained winds of 198kph near its center, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) said. However, due to the weakening of a Pacific high-pressure system the storm is now expected to turn northward earlier than initially forecast, likely around Japan’s Ishigaki Island, Cheng said. As Champi brushes
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US if the contract is finalized, the Ministry of National Defense said The navy and the coast guard reportedly plan to acquire 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) surveillance drones. If the contract is awarded and finalized, it would make Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the US-based defense technology company Shield AI. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion (US$37.1 million) to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under a four-year program code-named Project Yuan Hsiao (遠鴞) to acquire 280 V-BAT drones,
A patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to the Philippines would not be used in waters near Taiwan or areas where Taiwanese fishing vessels operate, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. The vessel, formerly the CGA's 500-tonne-class Kinmen (金門), was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard on Oct. 2. Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho said the Philippines had pledged during the donation process that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not operate in waters related to Taiwan. The vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan if needed, he added. Responding to questions from Chinese
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