With President Chen Shui-bian (
Ma called on Chen to "place the interests of the people above personal gains" and not to adversely affect cross-strait stability.
In reply to media questions after presiding over the opening of an art exhibition, Ma said he was in no mood to make any further comments on this issue, as the powers that be should make people's daily lives their top priority.
"Whether or not to do away with the council and guidelines will not add or deduct an ounce from people's problems," he said.
Ma said that the government should instead focus its attention on such problems as "credit card slaves," many of whom have ended up taking extreme measures to evade their credit card debts.
The People First Party (PFP) urged the president to "rein in his horse before he jumps off a cliff."
PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉) said it is beyond doubt that both the US and China have deep suspicions about Chen's recent moves toward abolishing the council and guidelines, one of his five campaign promises to not destabilizing the cross-strait situation.
Chen's expression of his intention to do away with the guidelines and what he called "outdated and anachronistic" council have severely affected Taiwan's national security and international reputation, Hsieh said.
Hsieh said that if Chen continues to ignore the opposition's warnings, his party will be forced to consider the possibility of launching a campaign to recall the president together with other like-minded political forces.
""As of now, our strategy is to ask President Chen or other responsible officials to make a special report on the subject to the legislature," he said.
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
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
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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