President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday cast doubt on the existence of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) allegedly signed by Beijing and the WHO in 2005, challenging the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration’s claim that the document was signed to limit Taiwan’s participation in the organization.
“I’ve heard such an allegation, but there is no way for us to find out because we were not in power in 2005,” Ma said. “We don’t know whether such a document exists, nor do we want to see such a document exist.”
Ma made the remarks during an interview with the China Television Co (CTV, 中視) yesterday morning.
PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
Emphasizing that Taiwan’s participation in the activities of UN specialized agencies was not only a political issue but also a human rights issue, Ma said Beijing would invite international pressure if it rejected the nation’s participation.
“Beijing keeps saying that it cares about the Taiwanese and that Taiwan is part of China,” Ma said. “What kind of care is it if it does not care about the medical rights of the Taiwanese?”
While some have criticized the annual application for WHA observer status, Ma said all participants in the WHA received annual invitations, whether they are considered countries, groups, WHO members or observers.
The WHO would be under a lot of pressure if it decided not to extend the invitation again next year because it was somehow upset with Taiwan, he said.
“Cross-strait relations would seriously backtrack if that was the case,” Ma said. “I don’t think mainland China would be that stupid.”
When asked what other international organization his administration would attempt to join after getting observer status at the WHA, Ma said the priority was to prove Taiwan’s worth in the WHA and that it would be “impractical” to seek accession to other organizations, such as the WHO.
“You must understand our success this year has a lot to do with our flexible, practical and low-key approach,” he said. “The key factors leading to that success are the efforts of the public and all political parties, the goodwill of China and strong support from the international community.”
Regarding the year-end elections, Ma said he would support candidates who won the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) primaries. He also urged Taitung County Commissioner Kuang Li-cheng (鄺麗貞), who lost Sunday’s primary, to respect the results of the poll.
While acknowledging Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei’s (周錫瑋) hard work, he urged Chou to aggressively promote his achievements.
Ma still remained tight-lipped about his intention to take over the chairmanship of the party, saying the public would find out next month.
On financial cooperation with China, Ma said he did not know exactly when both sides would sign the memorandums of understanding, but that it should happen soon.
Ma said the direction of the government’s economic policy was correct and that the recent boost in the stock market did not result from Chinese capital because none has been injected into the market as yet.
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
A total lunar eclipse, an astronomical event often referred to as a “blood moon,” would be visible to sky watchers in Taiwan starting just before midnight on Sunday night, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said. The phenomenon is also called “blood moon” due to the reddish-orange hue it takes on as the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, completely blocking direct sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. The only light is refracted by the Earth’s atmosphere, and its red wavelengths are bent toward the moon, illuminating it in a dramatic crimson light. Describing the event as the most important astronomical phenomenon
UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
RSS