Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers slammed the KMT at a press conference yesterday as being responsible for insisting that the Republic of China (ROC) withdraw from the UN 34 years ago and for letting Taiwan lapse into international isolation, while today it has become China's number one accomplice in seeking the unification of Taiwan with China.
DPP Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) held a news conference yesterday to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the UN and urged people to learn the truth about how Taiwan got stuck in its present international fix and remember the historical lessons.
"Taiwan is the only nation that could not experience the joy of the UN's 60th anniversary as the rest of the world celebrated the day on Oct. 25," Tien said.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Tien pointed out that it was the KMT government that sacrificed Taiwan's interests and rights because of its "one China" illusion. It ignored the US and Japan's efforts to help and its actions eventually led to Taiwan being marooned in international isolation.
"People might think that it doesn't matter if Taiwan joins the UN or not," Tien said.
"But in fact, for any nation, it is increasingly important to be a member," especially in the face of the growing tide of globalization. Many matters concerning people's rights and economic development require statehood in order to enable participation," she said.
In organizations such as the IMF, the WTO and the World Health Organization (WHO), Taiwan has been obstructed from obtaining full member status, Tien said.
DPP caucus whip William Lai (
"However, as soon as it lost executive power, it gave up on this insistence and instead became the Chinese Communist Party's biggest helper in their unification war with Taiwan," Lai said. "The KMT is totally dishonest."
"KMT members line up to pay tribute to the Chinese authorities these days and promote the policies that attempt to sell-out Taiwan to China," Lai said.
"It should be held responsible for this period of history and learn to curb its evil intentions right away," he said.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by