While former vice president Lien Chan (連戰) drew fire from across party lines for his decision to attend a military parade in Beijing, Shi Hsin University professor Wang Hsiao-po (王曉波) yesterday voiced support for the trip.
“I do not think there is anything wrong with Lien’s decision [to attend the event] since he currently holds no government or party positions,” said Wang, who also served as the convener of the Ministry of Education’s controversial curriculum adjustment task force.
“Plus, I think he might intend to convince the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] to work with Taiwan to rewrite history textbooks,” he said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Wang praised Lien for his trip to China in 2005, ending the warring status between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the CCP, saying that he deserves merit for his contributions in cross-strait relations and the Chinese nation.
The contribution that Lien is expected to make during this trip is still unknown, Wang said, adding that he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) might make a major announcement that would make Lien’s trip worthwhile.
Commenting on former premier Hau Pei-tsun’s (郝柏村) remarks that retired military officers should give up their pension if they decide to attend the military parade, Wang said that “whether to receive the pension is a legal issue, it’s not something that Hau could decide.”
He went on to say that Hau opposes the visit because his son, former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), is running for a legislative seat and therefore he is worried about political consequences.
Asked to comment on President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) statement yesterday that it’s inappropriate for Lien to attend the event, Wang said: “Ma is not in a position to say anything, whether to attend is Lien’s decision to make.”
Attendance by Taiwanese at China’s military parade to commemorate its victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan would only have an impact on the Taiwan independence movement, and would not have an impact on Taiwan itself, Wang said, adding that it would actually scare people off who have territorial and sovereignty ambitions for Taiwan.
Separately yesterday, in response to media queries for comments on the Lien matter, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) said that public perception on Lien’s visit needed no further explanation from him, “Everyone knows.”
Lee said Lien, also a successful businessperson, often visited China and no one minded, however, attending a military parade was “something else altogether.”
On Hau Pei-tsun’s insistence that other retired generals refrain from attending the parade, Lee said Taiwanese youths serving in the nation’s military would not know what to think if retired generals attend the parade in China.
“These youths would definitely feel awkward when they see the people who are supposed to lead them [against a Chinese invasion] visit China and instead shake hands with the aggressors,” Lee said.
Additional reporting by Huang Pei-chun
Without completed infrastructure and training, the expedited sale of new F-16s from the US could become a burden rather than a help, a military official said yesterday. Reuters on Thursday last week reported that Washington is looking to accelerate the delivery of 66 new F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft in response to what it sees as increasing intimidation by Beijing. Under the terms of the original US$8 billion deal signed in 2019, the US is expected to deliver a single-seater and double-seater for testing next year, then deliver the 66 new aircraft in batches of four or five from 2024 to 2026. The officials
TRACING UNDER WAY: The CECC has identified six transmission chains among 25 recently confirmed COVID-19 cases, including those linked to a restaurant and a bank The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 54 new COVID-19 infections — 44 imported and 10 local — and identified six transmission chains among local cases. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said the imported cases are 18 who tested positive upon arrival at the airport and 26 who tested positive during quarantine. Of the local cases, seven are associated with a cluster infection at a Tasty Steak (西堤牛排) outlet in Taoyuan’s Zhongli District (中壢), one is linked to a family of four with COVID-19 reported on Monday, one is a family member of an
BILINGUAL NATION 2030: Those interested can apply online, while recruitment would continue until all of the positions are filled, the Ministry of Education said The recruitment of foreign English teachers for elementary and junior-high schools would be expanded in the 2022-2023 school year as part of Taiwan’s efforts to become a bilingual country, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday. In a statement, the ministry said that it has since 2004 hired 81 foreign nationals per year to teach English in 16 smaller counties and cities to build a better English-learning environment for students. However, for the 2022-2023 school year, the number of foreign English teachers recruited would increase to 531, with some of them to be posted to Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan
US Representative Mike Gallagher on Friday introduced a bill aimed at increasing Taiwan’s asymmetric defense capabilities to protect against China’s military aggression. Under the proposed arm Taiwan act of 2021, the US would enhance Taiwan’s defenses against a Chinese invasion by allocating US$3 billion every year for a “Taiwan Security Assistance Initiative,” Gallagher said in a statement. The act would make Taiwan’s progress in preparing its military and fielding weapons required to deter an attack by China a condition for conventional arms sales to the nation, he said. “General Secretary [Chinese President] Xi Jinping (習近平) has made unification of Taiwan with the mainland,
RSS