Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman-elect Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday had lunch with KMT legislators at Taipei’s Fullon Hotel, where he said that he would endorse the so-called “1992 consensus,” amid speculation that outgoing KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) would attend this month’s annual cross-strait forum between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the CCP that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means. Former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) said in 2006 that he had made up the term in 2000.
Responding to media queries over the possibility of carrying out the KMT leadership handover sooner than scheduled, Wu said that the issue was being negotiated by three of his aides and KMT Secretary-General Mo Tian-hu (莫天虎).
Asked whether he — rather than Hung — is to attend the forum, Wu said that he had no preconceived notions on the issue, adding that logistics for the forum would be planned according to usual practice.
In reference to rumors that the KMT caucus has had a falling-out with its headquarters, KMT legislative caucus convener Sufin Siluko (廖國棟) said that the party is an integral whole that does not allow rifts between its legislative caucus and its headquarters, adding that the KMT would do its best to monitor the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
He urged the KMT headquarters to respond to the majority of KMT supporters’ expectations and carry out the leadership handover as soon as possible.
“The sooner, the better,” caucus secretary-general Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) said when asked to comment on the transition.
FAST TRACK? Chinese spouses must renounce their Chinese citizenship and pledge allegiance to Taiwan to gain citizenship, some demonstrators said Opponents and supporters of a bill that would allow Chinese spouses to obtain Taiwanese citizenship in four years instead of six staged protests near the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday morning. Those who oppose the bill proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) demanded that Chinese spouses be granted citizenship only after renouncing their Chinese citizenship, passing a citizenship test and pledging allegiance to Taiwan. The demonstrators, who were protesting at a side entrance to the Legislative Yuan on Jinan Road, were mostly members of the Taiwan Association of University Professors and other organizations advocating Taiwanese independence. Supporters of the bill, led
SILENT MAJORITY: Only 1 percent of Chinese rejected all options but war to annex Taiwan, while one-third viewed war as unacceptable, a university study showed Many Chinese are more concerned with developments inside their country than with seeking unification with Taiwan, al-Jazeera reported on Friday. Although China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, 23-year-old Chinese Shao Hongtian was quoted by al-Jazeera as saying that “hostilities are not the way to bring China and Taiwan together.” “I want unification to happen peacefully,” Shao said. Al-Jazeera said it changed Shao’s name to respect his wish for anonymity. If peaceful unification is not possible, Shao said he would prefer “things to remain as they are,” adding that many of his friends feel
Taiwan has “absolute air superiority” over China in its own airspace, Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) told a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee on Monday, amid concern over whether Taipei could defend itself against a military incursion by Beijing. Po made the remarks in response to a question from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) on whether Taiwan would have partial or complete air superiority if Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes were to enter Taiwan’s airspace. Po, a retired pilot, said that the Taiwanese military has “absolute air superiority” over PLA
A shipment of basil pesto imported by Costco Wholesale Taiwan from the US in the middle of last month was intercepted at the border after testing positive for excessive pesticide residue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. Samples taken from a shipment of the Kirkland Signature brand of basil pesto imported by Costco contained 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of ethylene oxide, exceeding the non-detectable limit. Ethylene oxide is a carcinogenic substance that can be used as a pesticide. The 674kg shipment of basil pesto would either be destroyed or returned to its country of origin, as is the procedure for all