Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
Ma made the remarks when meeting with members of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council in Tokyo, the Central News Agency reported.
The council, better known as the Nikkakon (
PHOTO: AFP
During the meeting, Ma said he would pursue a policy of "no unification, no independence and no armed conflicts" if elected next year.
The presidential candidate said he would neither hold unification negotiations with China, nor support independence for Taiwan.
Ma said he would maintain the "status quo" in cross-strait relations, but would seek to negotiate with China on "normalizing economic ties, signing a peace treaty and increasing Taiwan's presence in the international community."
The presidential hopeful added that he would ask China to dismantle the ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan before attempting any peace negotiations.
"We will be a responsible stakeholder. We will never unilaterally change the `status quo' and risk regional instability," Ma was quoted as saying.
Ma said he would try to enhance the relationship between Taiwan and Japan, and would make signing of a free trade agreement one of his objectives.
The former KMT chairman said on Wednesday that his visit to Japan was intended in part to alleviate concerns there that he is "anti-Japanese."
"I am neither anti-Japan nor pro-Japan. I hope to understand Japan and I hope the Japanese people will get to know me," Ma told a press conference on Tuesday.
Ma was scheduled to hold a news conference at a Tokyo hotel today before returning home later in the day, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office said.
Asked for his take on Ma's comments, Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said in Taipei yesterday that it was difficult to comment on Ma's remarks because the KMT presidential candidate "changes his mind too much."
Hsieh said it was confusing that Ma was now saying that he doesn't want to pursue unification whereas this had once been his stated goal.
Additional reporting by AP and AFP
Starbucks Taiwan’s decision to charge for drink customization, which had been free, has sparked consumer backlash, highlighting the challenge of raising prices without making customers feel they are losing value, experts said. Since Oct. 12, customers who order drinks with less or no ice and ask to have the volume topped up with milk or other liquid have been charged an additional NT$15. Topping off drinks without ice was previously free, and disgruntled customers posted photos on social media showing that iced drinks ordered without ice were only half full if the extra NT$15 was not paid. The posts drew tens of thousands
EXPLANATION: Tsai said he attended events featuring various interviewees to observe them firsthand as part of his interview research Television host Kevin Tsai (蔡康永) last night broke his silence over a controversy surrounding his appearance at a campaign event for Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋), saying he had never supported Taiwan independence. “I have always hoped for friendly cross-strait relations. I have never supported Taiwan independence,” Tsai wrote in a post on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo. Tsai, who has hosted television shows in China, attended the opening of Shen’s campaign headquarters on Oct. 4, drawing criticism from Chinese social media users and prompting some Chinese companies to distance themselves from him. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
Major department stores across Taiwan, including Taipei 101, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Far Eastern SOGO, Breeze and Honhui Plaza, are closed today due to Typhoon Champi, while major supermarkets remain open. Taipei 101 said its shopping mall, observatory and restaurants on higher floors are closed for the day, with future hours to be adjusted based on the storm's status. Shin Kong Mitsukoshi has closed all 16 of its branches nationwide, as well as its Taipei Railway Station mall and SKM Park Outlets in Kaohsiung. Far Eastern SOGO said it has closed all of its branches nationwide, including Garden City in Taipei, citing the safety
DOUBLE-CHECK: Mandarin Airlines said that it would adjust its schedule according to weather conditions, while high-speed rail services are to remain undisrupted Airlines, ferry services, railways and national parks announced cancelations and closures yesterday, as Typhoon Champi bore down on Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued land warnings for most of Taiwan proper, as Champi is forecast to come closest to the nation today. Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) has canceled all express trains on its western and eastern trunk lines today, while the high-speed rail system would continue to operate normally. For non-reserved TRC services, trains on the Coast Line, Chengzhui Line, Yilan Line and North Link Line are fully suspended. Services between Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as other unsuspended routes, would operate
RSS