Four legislators yesterday announced the launch of a new legislative caucus — the Legislative Yuan New Alliance (LYNA, 立院新聯盟) — vowing to serve as the “adhesive” between the pan-green and pan-blue political camps.
The group’s four founding members are two legislators from the People First Party (PFP) — Thomas Lee (李桐豪) and Chen Yi-chieh (陳怡潔) — as well as Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator May Chin (高金素梅) and Legislator Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩) a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member.
Lee, the convener of the group, said the new caucus would focus on reforms to the Constitution, as well as an oversight bill to monitor future cross-strait treaties.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Although all four members of the LYNA have traditionally been affiliated with the pan-blue camp, the group said it welcomed members of both the blue and green camps to join their discussions.
Hsu made headlines last month when she announced her withdrawal from the KMT, saying that she wanted to present an alternative option to the public as an independent.
Hsu said that the public was primarily against the proposed cross-strait service trade agreement because it was perceived as a “black box” deal that bypassed legislative deliberation.
She said that both major political camps should discuss potential cross-strait treaties in detail in a way that is acceptable to the public.
She added that Taiwan could not afford to cut off economic relations with China.
Chen said Taiwan should not boycott cross-strait trade pacts, but evaluate each clause carefully.
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
ENHANCING DETERRENCE: Stationing the missiles in Kyushu would allow Japan to cover waters near Taiwan and China’s coastal areas without any logistical difficulties Japan is to deploy extended-range anti-ship missiles at a Ground Self-Defense Force base in Kumamoto to bolster its defenses, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Saturday. The upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, with a range of more than 1,000km, would be capable of striking targets in the Taiwan Strait and along China’s coast. Originally limited to a few hundred kilometers, the Type 12 was recently modernized ahead of schedule. Deployment, initially slated for next year, has been accelerated after the upgrade was completed sooner than expected, the newspaper said. Stationing the missiles in Kyushu would allow Japan to cover waters near Taiwan and
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
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