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Liu will insist on ‘premier’ tag

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) said yesterday in response to a question from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kuo Wen-chen (郭玟成) during a question-and-answer session at the legislature that he would not meet with the chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) if Chen refused to address him as “Premier Liu.”

Kuo had questioned the government’s China-leaning cross-strait policies and said that it seemed to him “a prelude to the country’s unification with China.”

Kuo said that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had previously stated that he would not mind if Chen, who may visit Taiwan this month for a second round of talks with his Taiwanese counterpart, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤), addressed him as “Mr Ma.”

Liu did not comment on Ma’s position on the matter, but said that although both sides of the Strait are still working on the details of Chen’s planned visit, including the protocols and what to call each other, he would insist on being referred to as “Premier Liu.”

Also at the session, DPP Legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) asked Liu to drop a plan to open up the higher education system to Chinese students.

“What’s the point of Taiwan educating the young generation from a nation that is our enemy?” Chai said.

Chai also called on Liu not to recognize Chinese diplomas because it would be to the detriment of Taiwan’s higher education system.

In response, Liu said there was no reason not to recognize diplomas issued by Chinese universities, many of which are listed as distinguished global higher education institutions.

Also on the legislative floor, Minister of Education Cheng Jei-cheng (鄭瑞城) said local students would not be affected by the government’s plan to allow Chinese students to study here because there would be limited spaces available for Chinese students.

“Having Chinese students study in the country will leave them with good impression of our nation, which in turn will help reduce enmity toward Taiwan,” Cheng said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Sun Ta-chien (孫大千) called on the government to make clear how it would help those members of the public who have suffered losses through their investments in Lehman Brothers-related structured notes.

In response, Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Vice Chairwoman Lee Jih-chu (李紀珠) said that investors could seek assistance from the FSC, the Bankers Association of the Republic of China and the Securities and Futures Investors Protection Center when asking for compensation.
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