The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday asked the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to "do the right thing" instead of focusing on its former chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) trip to China.
"I hope KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will call back those 30 KMT lawmakers who are currently accompanying Lien in China so that pending proposals, such as the arms purchase bill, will not be delayed again," said DPP caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻).
Chen made the remarks when he was approached by reporters yesterday.
PHOTO: AFP
He complained that the absence of KMT lawmakers who accompanied Lien to China has slowed the legislative session, and that many proposals have yet to be discussed, reviewed or approved.
Chen said that the US arms purchase bill has been blocked by the pan-blue camp more than 50 times since it was first introduced in 2004, and noted that the approval of Control Yuan nominees has also been delayed.
"These two proposals, for example, have seriously influenced and impacted the country's national defense and the spirit of the Constitution. We need to fix these kinds of problem as soon as possible," Chen said.
The DPP caucus whip was upset that some 30 KMT lawmakers left Taiwan for Beijing even though the legislature is in session.
"[KMT lawmakers] won't spend any time talking to us, but they go to Beijing to talk to the Chinese communists. What kind of logic is that? If Ma still cares about this country and its people, he will have to call [his party's] people back to work as soon as possible," Chen said.
In response to Chen's com-plaint, KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Tsai Chin-lung (蔡錦隆) said that the problem was actually created by the DPP.
"Now that the DPP has decided to list the proposal for the arms purchase deal as part of the government's annual budget instead of a stand-alone special budget, they should simply withdraw the proposal, amend it and re-submit it," Tsai said.
Tsai said that the KMT had good reasons for blocking the arms purchase bill. He said that it was actually the DPP legislative caucus' fault because it had not come up with an accurate, legal and reasonable proposal.
"As an opposition party, we definitely need to spot all the defects on behalf of the public," he said.
Meanwhile, Ma yesterday said that his party has demanded that its caucus restart the negotiation mechanism to reach consensus on the arms procurement bill with its pan-blue allies and independent legislators as soon as possible.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS