The The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday urged the public not to use People’s Republic of China (PRC) passports because it puts them at risk of losing the rights and benefits they have as Republic of China (ROC) citizens.
The council statement followed a report by Hong Kong-based Super Media on Friday that China might launch a pilot program to issue passports for people living in what it describes as the “Taiwan Special Administrative Region” (SAR) as part of its efforts to “solve the Taiwan problem.”
A China-based academic suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) establish a preparatory committee for a proposed “Taiwan SAR” and invite public figures from Taiwan to participate, the report said.
The committee would issue “Taiwan SAR” passports to Taiwanese living in Hong Kong and Macau, the report said.
“The proposal shows that the atmosphere in the Chinese government is such that it is risky not to toe the party line on the issue of Taiwan,” the council said.
Some people in the Chinese government are using the current political atmosphere as an opportunity to try to belittle and humiliate Taiwan, as well as to provoke the nation, it added
“They are trying to incite conflict between the two sides [of the Taiwan Strait], which we will not accept. We would also like to remind the Chinese Communist Party to be aware of the latent risk of what it is doing,” the council said.
Under Article 9-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例), Taiwanese are not permitted to use passports issued by the PRC. Violators face losing their ROC citizenship and all associated rights.
Article 33 of the act prohibits Taiwanese from engaging in Chinese political or military affairs, or from becoming a member of any Chinese party or government-affiliated group.
China’s use of threats and political pressure against Taiwan has only hurt Taiwanese’s sentiments toward China and has not helped cross-strait relations, the council said.
It also called on China to adopt a benevolent approach toward Taiwan given the circumstances.
Additional reporting by CNA
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS