President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) reiterated his hopes of meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) at this year’s APEC leadership summit as he tried to dismiss Beijing’s concerns that his presence could jeopardize its “one China” principle during a recent interview with three European media outlets.
Ma gave a joint interview at the Presidential Office on Monday to Beijing-based correspondents for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA), German newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung and French newspaper Le Figaro.
According to the DPA report, Ma said Beijing was afraid that the presence of the leaders of Taiwan and China at APEC would give the world the false impression that they have abandoned the “one China” principle.
“I don’t think it could be substantiated... I hope more favorable conditions can be created to make it happen,” Ma was quoted by DPA as saying.
Ma stressed that APEC was designed for economic leaders to meet without using their official titles, DPA said.
“The idea is to accommodate the participation by countries like us. And that’s why we consider that is a good opportunity for us to use that format for leaders of two sides to meet without generating other unnecessary sensitivities,” DPA quoted Ma as saying.
Ma said that his administration would continue its current policy toward China because his “one China, respective interpretations” push has received the support of more than 50 percent of the public, DPA said.
He also promised to increase communication with the public about his cross-strait policies, the report said.
The Ma administration has received a letter from China inviting Taiwan to the APEC leaders’ meeting on Nov. 10 and 11 in Beijing, but has withheld the protocol details, including how Ma was referred to in the letter.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦), who said on Monday that the letter was handed to him by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director Gong Qinggai (龔清概) at the end of last month, said he “did not pay attention” to how Beijing addressed Ma in the letter.
In line with established APEC practices, Ma is likely to decline the invitation and appoint an envoy in his stead.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) was also optimistic about a Ma-Xi meeting, telling lawmakers yesterday that until Ma appoints an envoy, there is still a chance for a meeting.
However, “the chances are slim,” he told Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) during a question-and-answer session.
China is reluctant to have the two meet at an “international event,” but “we still consider the most suitable occasion for a Ma-Xi meeting would be the APEC leaders’ summit,” Wang said. “We will continue in our efforts.”
Meanwhile, according to Beijing’s online media accreditation and registration system for the summit, reporters for Taiwanese media outlets are required to register under the category of “media from Chinese Taipei.”
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS