Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Andrew Hsia (夏立言) yesterday downplayed rumors that president-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is planning to keep him in his current post after her inauguration on May 20 due to his good performance.
“I have my own career plans and my duty is to do my job well before May 20,” Hsia said in response to media questions about whether he is interested in retaining his post under the administration of Tsai, who headed the council between 2000 and 2004.
“I have my own plans for the future,” Hsia said, without elaborating.
Photo: CNA
Hsia, who took over the ministerial post from Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) in February last year, made the remarks on the sidelines of an exchange event with China-based Taiwanese businesspeople in Taipei yesterday morning.
Rumors have been circulating since Tsai’s presidential victory last month that she has not ruled out keeping Hsia in his post after she takes office, to ensure the maintenance of the cross-strait hotline established between the council and its Chinese counterpart, the Taiwan Affairs Office, on Dec. 30 last year.
The hotline, aimed at providing a more direct channel of communication across the Taiwan Strait, was allegedly “disconnected” for weeks after the elections.
In his opening remarks at yesterday’s event, Hsia said Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) contacted him on the hotline to extend Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s (李克強) condolences to victims of the Feb. 6 earthquake.
“Zhang also told me that China is willing to offer help at any time should we require it. I then expressed our gratitude on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) over China’s offer,” Hsia said.
COMPASSION
Hsia said the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that wreaked havoc in Tainan has caused tremendous loss of life and destruction to property, killing 116 people and injuring at least 550.
“In the face of this disaster, every pillar of society has demonstrated compassion and their love for their fellow countrymen. I would also like to give special thanks to China-based Taiwanese businesspeople for their generous donations,” Hsia said.
The council said donations from China for reconstruction work reached NT$73.1 million (US$2.18 million) yesterday.
Hsia said today would mark the first anniversary of his assumption of the ministership and that the past year had been fruitful for cross-strait relations, which witnessed the first meeting of cross-strait leaders in 66 years in November last year.
In addition to the cross-strait hotline, Hsia said progress has also been made following the Ma-Xi meeting, including the launching of a limited flight transit proposal on Feb. 1 that allows residents of three Chinese cities to transit at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport for flights to a third country.
Hsia said he hoped the harmony and security across the Taiwan Strait could be maintained in the future based on the principle of reciprocity and dignity.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Taiwan’s three major international carriers are increasing booking fees, with EVA Airways having already increased the charge to US$28 per flight segment from US$25, while China Airlines (CAL) and Starlux Airlines are set to follow suit. Booking fees are charged by airlines through a global distribution system (GDS) and passed on to passengers. Carriers that apply the fees include CAL, EVA, Starlux and Tigerair Taiwan. A GDS is a computerized network operated by a company that connects airlines with travel agents and ticketing platforms, allowing reservations to be made and processed in real time. Major players include Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport. EVA Air began
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
When Paraguayan opposition lawmaker Leidy Galeano returned from an all-expenses-paid tour of six Chinese cities late last year, she was convinced Paraguay risked missing out on major economic gains by sticking with longtime ally Taipei over Beijing — a message that participants on the trip heard repeatedly from Chinese officials. “Everything I saw there, I wanted for my country,” said Galeano, a member of the newly-formed Yo Creo party whose senior figures have spoken favorably about China. This trip and others like it — which people familiar with the visits said were at the invitation of the Chinese consulate in Sao Paulo
RSS