Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) is to promote the cross-strait service trade agreement at National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu today and Wednesday respectively.
The minister is to exchange views on the pact with students at a forum at each university, economics officials said.
Since students occupied the main chamber of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on March 18 to protest the government’s handling of the pact, economic officials have sought to defend the service trade pact with China and have promoted it at different schools, saying the pact is vital to the nation’s economic integration in the region.
The campaign was launched by Chang’s colleague, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Duh (杜紫軍) on Monday last week, when he delivered a speech at National Chengchi University in Taipei and National Taipei University in New Taipei City to explain the necessity of the pact.
In addition to the forum at Tsing Hua Univesity and Chiao Tung University, officials are scheduled to give eight presentations at universities in northern Taiwan before Thursday, in a bid to woo student support for the pact.
The officials said they have offered to give presentations on the pact at different schools since August last year, but only 18 of the 454 university departments they contacted have scheduled presentations.
However, the pact has become a controversial issue since protesters began occupying the Legislative Yuan.
Chinese National Federation of Industries secretary-general Tsai Lien-sheng (蔡練生) on Saturday said that Taiwan needs to be ready to “give” if it wants to participate in economic trade blocs.
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Tsai said, adding that the “give” part of give-and-take must be emphasized in negotiations.
Trade liberalization is necessary to catch up economically, he said, citing a 10 percent decline in machinery exports to the US since the South Korea-US free-trade agreement took effect.
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
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
The presence of Taiwanese politicians at China’s military parade tomorrow would send the wrong message to Beijing and the international community about Taiwan’s sovereignty and democracy, a national security official said yesterday. China is to hold the parade tomorrow to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. By bringing together leaders of “anti-West” governments such as Russia, North Korea, Iran and Belarus, the parade aims to project a symbolic image of an alliance that is cohesive and unbending against Western countries, the national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu
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