Taiwan has expressed concern over China's plan to draw up an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) within the Taiwan Strait to submit to the International Civil Aviation Organization and pass on to other countries, the government said yesterday.
An ADIZ is an area of airspace usually along a national boundary within which identification of all aircraft is required for national security reasons.
President Chen Shui-bian (
Beijing is also planning to inaugurate a new air route on the Chinese side of the median of the Taiwan Strait, he said.
Chen made the remarks while meeting US Representative Eni Faleomavaega and American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young at the Presidential Office on Thursday.
"We consider China's plans an attempt to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. [China] will pose a great threat to peace and stability in the strait and damage the status quo. We hope the US and Japan will jointly tackle this serious issue," Chen said.
Asked by the press to elaborate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said: "We are very much concerned about the move because it will change the status quo, endanger cross-strait stability and affect international aviation safety."
The ministry declined to give futher details about Beijing's actions.
Taiwan will discuss the matter with other countries and seek their cooperation in taking measures to maintain cross-strait peace, the ministry said.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
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The next minimum wage hike is expected to exceed NT$30,000, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during an award ceremony honoring “model workers,” including migrant workers, at the Presidential Office ahead of Workers’ Day today. Lai said he wished to thank the awardees on behalf of the nation and extend his most sincere respect for their hard work, on which Taiwan’s prosperity has been built. Lai specifically thanked 10 migrant workers selected for the award, saying that although they left their home countries to further their own goals, their efforts have benefited Taiwan as well. The nation’s industrial sector and small businesses lay
Taiwan's first indigenous defense submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), departed for its 13th sea trial at 7am today, marking its seventh submerged test, with delivery to the navy scheduled for July. The outing also marked its first sea deployment since President William Lai (賴清德) boarded the submarine for an inspection on March 19, drawing a crowd of military enthusiasts who gathered to show support. The submarine this morning departed port accompanied by CSBC Corp’s Endeavor Manta (奮進魔鬼魚號) uncrewed surface vessel and a navy M109 assault boat. Amid public interest in key milestones such as torpedo-launching operations and overnight submerged trials,
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