The British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group on Thursday expressed support for President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) response to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) statement that unification with Taiwan is inevitable.
British Member of Parliament Nigel Evans and House of Lords Deputy Speaker Lord Rogan in a joint statement said that they wholly support Tsai’s firm position to bolster Taiwan as a full-fledged democracy, which shares the universal values of freedom, respect for human rights and the rule of law with the UK.
The vast majority of Taiwanese resolutely oppose the “one country, two systems” formula proposed by China, the group cochairs said.
The group said it regards any threat or intimidation from across the Taiwan Strait as irresponsible and hopes China would respect the firm commitment of Taiwan’s 23 million people to freedom and democracy.
The lawmakers said they are looking forward to both sides of the Strait having their voices heard at international forums such as the WHO and the International Civil Aviation Organization.
In a speech on Jan. 2 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China’s “Message to Compatriots in Taiwan,” Xi said that China is seeking “peaceful unification” with Taiwan, but would not rule out the option of military action.
The “one country, two systems” formula is the best approach to achieving unification, Xi added.
China must accept the reality of the existence of the Republic of China, respect the commitment of Taiwanese to freedom and democracy, resolve cross-strait differences peacefully and equitably, and negotiate with Taiwan’s government or government-sanctioned organizations, Tsai said in response.
The vast majority of Taiwanese resolutely oppose the “one country, two systems” formula, she said, calling that position the “Taiwan consensus.”
Representative to the UK David Lin (林永樂) thanked the group for its strong support of Taiwan in the international community.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS