Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday said that Taiwan should not be led around by the nose by China and forced to respond to the policies it implements.
Ko visited Hsinchu yesterday and accompanied Republican Party Chairwoman Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), who is running for Hsinchu County commissioner, to election campaign events at the city’s Lianhua Temple (蓮華寺) and the local riverside park.
After China began issuing residency permit cards for Taiwanese in China, Cabinet spokesperson Kolas Yotaka on Thursday said the government is considering imposing regulatory measures or restrictions on cardholders.
Ko on Friday said that the government could also treat the cardholders the same way US green card holders are treated.
Ko’s remark sparked debate among political figures, including New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐).
Lim on Friday evening explained the difference between the two cards on Facebook.
He said that China is the only country in the world that wants to annex Taiwan, so it cannot be viewed as the same as other countries, such as the US.
Asked again about China’s residency permit cards yesterday, Ko said that cross-strait relations are a difficult problem to deal with, but the nation should adopt a strategy of Taiwan-centered thinking.
“Currently, whenever it [Beijing] launches a policy, we are forced to respond,” he said, restating that Taiwan could just view the residency permit cards as green cards.
Separately, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei mayoral candidate Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) on Wednesday said that Ko should attend a televised debate with him to directly examine what he has done for the city in four years, as recent opinion polls all show that Ko is in the lead.
Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Pasuya Yao (姚文智) on Friday said that he would like to invite Ko and Ting to join him in debates, which could be held weekly to discuss different policies each time.
In response, Ting said he would be glad to attend.
However, Ko said that any debates should be held after Nov. 8, when he takes leave from his post as mayor.
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
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