A former senior presidential adviser, Peng Ming-min (
Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Taipei Representative Office in Belgium, Peng said that poor cross-strait relations still posed a danger, even though other problems across the globe have meant that the international community has paid less attention to the issue.
While cross-strait economic relations are increasing, progress was lacking on the political front, Peng said.
MISINFORMED
Peng said many of the perceptions held by Western countries on cross-strait issues were incorrect and disputable, including the "one China" policy, the emphasis on the maintenance of the "status quo," and calls for Taiwan to engage in a dialogue with China and not to provoke China.
Taking the "one China" policy as an example, Peng pointed out that Taiwan, which has been operating independently over the past several decades, is a sovereign and democratic political entity.
"The claim that Taiwan, which is totally different from China, is `part of China' is obviously made with disregard to this reality," Peng said.
On the "status quo" that some countries had asked both sides of the Taiwan Strait to maintain, Peng argued that no one was able to define the concept because the situation was always changing.
For instance, Peng said, China's military buildup is a strategy to change the status quo, while Taiwan's arms procurement and even economic growth are also changing the status quo.
"After taking into account all these factors, the so-called `status quo' is totally meaningless," he said.
DEFENSE
Peng stressed that Taiwan has no power or intention to provoke anyone and that the country is only defending itself and its democratic reforms.
Noting that Taiwan has on many occasions expressed its desire to resume talks with China, Peng said that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had even suggested that the "one China" principle be put on the agenda for such negotiations so that the two sides could work on a resolution.
However, despite Taiwan's efforts, Beijing has insisted that Taiwan accept the "one China" principle as a precondition to reopening cross-strait talks, Peng said, adding that this was equivalent to asking Taiwan to "surrender."
Referendum
On Taiwan's plan to hold a referendum on whether to apply for UN membership using the name "Taiwan," Peng said that Taiwan already meets all the conditions required to join international organizations.
Peng said it is unfair that some countries have called Taiwan's aspiration to become a normal member of international organizations "provocative."
With neither the US nor the EU supporting the referendum, Peng said Taiwan's UN bid was intended to call the world's attention to the issue and pressure China into giving up its threat of force against Taiwan.
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Monday announced light shows and themed traffic lights to welcome fans of South Korean pop group Twice to the port city. The group is to play Kaohsiung on Saturday as part of its “This Is For” world tour. It would be the group’s first performance in Taiwan since its debut 10 years ago. The all-female group consists of five South Koreans, three Japanese and Tainan’s Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), the first Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group. To promote the group’s arrival, the city has been holding a series of events, including a pop-up
TEMPORAL/SPIRITUAL: Beijing’s claim that the next Buddhist leader must come from China is a heavy-handed political maneuver that will fall flat-faced, experts said China’s requirement that the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation to be born in China and approved by Beijing has drawn criticism, with experts at a forum in Taipei yesterday saying that if Beijing were to put forth its own Dalai Lama, the person would not be recognized by the Tibetan Buddhist community. The experts made a remarks at the two-day forum hosted by the Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama titled: “The Snow Land Forum: Finding Common Ground on Tibet.” China says it has the right to determine the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, as it claims sovereignty over Tibet since ancient times,
Temperatures in some parts of Taiwan are expected to fall sharply to lows of 15°C later this week as seasonal northeasterly winds strengthen, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. It is to be the strongest cold wave to affect northern Taiwan this autumn, while Chiayi County in the southwest and some parts of central Taiwan are likely to also see lower temperatures due to radiational cooling, which occurs under conditions of clear skies, light winds and dry weather, the CWA said. Across Taiwan, temperatures are to fall gradually this week, dropping to 15°C to 16°C in the early hours of Wednesday
RSS