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.
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
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