President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) reiterated that the name Taiwan uses to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is at the heart of whether the nation will participate in the financial institution or not.
“The name used to join is very, very critical, and China knows that,” Ma said in an interview on TV show CTS News Square aired on Friday.
“If we cannot use ‘Chinese Taipei’ to join, then we would prefer not to participate,” Ma said, referring to the name Taiwan used to join APEC in 1991.
The AIIB charter says that members of the World Bank or Asian Development Bank (ADB) are eligible to join the AIIB, which leaves the door open to Taiwan, because it is a member of the ADB.
The problem is that the Republic of China is not willing to use the name “Taipei,China,” which it uses at the ADB, Ma said.
Taiwan cannot accept that name and has made its stance clear to Beijing, Ma said.
Although the AIIB charter has been finalized, there is a process before the bank accepts applications for new members early next year, so the final phase of the process is likely to come then, he added.
Also in the interview, the president said he has not ruled out visiting Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島).
With an area of 0.4km2, Taiping is the largest natural land mass in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), which lie about 1,600km southwest of Taiwan in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea region, thought to be rich in oil deposits and marine biodiversity, is claimed either entirely or in part by Taiwan, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Amid simmering tensions in the region, Ma proposed a South China Sea peace initiative in May, calling on all parties to put aside their differences and jointly develop the resources in the area.
Tensions in the region have risen in recent months as China has been unilaterally reclaiming land in the South China Sea, apparently to establish military facilities.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS