The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said that remarks made by former American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) chairman Richard Bush on the sidelines of a closed-door seminar between KMT presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) and dozens of US academics in Washington on Friday was suggestive of US support for the KMT chairman.
KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said Bush’s remarks that the US valued the cross-strait developments under President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration since 2008 and that it would like to see it continued was what the US had been wanting to say, but could not.
“This bodes ill for Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), as in the US’ mind, the KMT and the DPP have already been graded based on their cross-strait policies,” Lin said.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Lin said Bush’s remark that “What people say during elections might vastly differ from what they say after becoming policymakers. To me, that is where the problems lie,” was disguised criticism of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and the DPP’s cross-strait policies.
KMT Lawmaker Alex Tsai (蔡正元) said that DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) claimed her objective for cross-strait ties is to maintain the “status quo,” but she has refused to explain her methods for achieving that goal.
“Bush has publicly challenged Tsai Ing-wen’s ‘status quo’ policy. What would the consequences be if the DPP chairperson pursues a cross-strait policy different from that of Ma? She has yet to comment on that issue,” he said.
Chu arrived back in Taiwan early yesterday after a week-long visit to the US as part of his presidential campaign.
He left Taiwan on Tuesday last week for meetings with US officials, including Deputy US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and academics, as well as Taiwanese expatriates in Los Angeles, Washington, New York and San Francisco.
Soon after his return, Chu is expected to name his running mate.
A report by the Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday said that the KMT is likely to put Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), a veteran lawmaker and president of the legislature, on the top of the party’s list of legislator-at-large nominees.
Additional reporting by CNA
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
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
Chinese embassy staffers attempted to interrupt an award ceremony of an international tea competition in France when the organizer introduced Taiwan and displayed the Republic of China flag, a Taiwanese tea farmer said in an interview published today. Hsieh Chung-lin (謝忠霖), chief executive of Juxin Tea Factory from Taichung's Lishan (梨山) area, on Dec. 2 attended the Teas of the World International Contest held at the Peruvian embassy in Paris. Hsieh was awarded a special prize for his Huagang Snow Source Tea by the nonprofit Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA). During the ceremony, two Chinese embassy staffers in attendance
RSS