China’s demarcation of an East China Sea air defense identification zone (ADIZ) that includes the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) is a clear act of expansionism that risks destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region and the world’s failure to take substantial actions will only embolden China to launch military aggression against its neighbors, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday.
At the instruction of DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), DPP Policy Research Committee executive director Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), International Affairs Department director Liu Shih-chung (劉世忠), China Affairs Department director Hung Tsai-lung (洪財隆) and former National Security Council (NSC) consultant York Chen (陳文政) made the remark at a press conference in Taipei yesterday morning.
The party issued three demands to President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration: that the government lodge a stern protest against China’s unilateral declaration of the ADIZ in an attempt to challenge the “status quo” in the region; that it maintain close contact with concerned allies to work out a plan for cooperative efforts and pay close attention to the matter; and that it work to ensure uninterrupted patrols by Taiwan’s fighter jets and naval vessels in the nation’s own ADIZ in waters off northeastern Taiwan and take substantial measures to defend the nation’s sovereignty and national security.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
China’s unilateral demarcation of the ADIZ, which overlaps that of Taiwan’s and Japan’s, not only runs counter to international norms, but also underlines its apparent attempt to unilaterally change the “status quo” in the region, Wu said.
“Such an action may escalate tensions and seriously jeopardize the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The DPP solemnly remonstrates against such irresponsible and provocative behavior and demands that China immediately retract its ADIZ announcement,” Wu said.
Wu said history had shown that weakness only breeds more aggressive expansion and costs nations more dearly afterward.
“Forty-eight hours have passed [since China’s ADIZ announcement on Saturday]. However, the Ma administration’s responses to the matter have remained unbelievably feeble, with the National Security Council voicing concerns and the Ministry of National Defense expressing regret,” Wu said.
“The government’s failure to lodge a protest or issue a condemnation of China’s behavior constitutes a serious dereliction of duty, and the party is extremely disappointed,” Wu said.
Wu said the party expressed support for US Secretary of State John Kerry’s condemnation of China for initiating a “unilateral action that constitutes an attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea” and to US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s reiteration of the US’ commitment to defend its Asian allies in case of a conflict.
“The DPP is also willing to join hands with its international partners to safeguard peace and stability in the region,” Wu said.
Separately, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said the government has been in contact with the US and Japan over China’s ADIZ announcement.
“We have expressed our hopes that all parties concerned will resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue to maintain regional peace and stability,” Lin said on the sidelines of a hearing of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
However, he declined to go into detail when asked about the contents of talks with the US and Japan over China’s ADIZ demarcation.
Lin said that the communications were mainly aimed at expressing Taiwan’s hope that territorial disputes would be settled via peaceful dialogue.
“This is the most important principle that should prevail,” Lin said.
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading