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.
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition