The nation has postponed sending a delegation to the US to explain the "defensive referendum."
Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday there was no need for the delegation, which was set to depart today, to go to the US because relations between the two countries are stable and the visit would not have had much effect.
According to Wu, the head of the delegation, there has been constant and effective communication between the Taiwanese and US governments and many Washington-based think tanks have sent experts to Taiwan.
"I believe that once the referendum questions have been revealed, the US will not take an opposing stand. The US' utmost concern is whether Taiwan is conducting an independence referendum, and we have already assured the US that such a referendum will not take place," Wu said.
Wu said Taiwan hopes the referendum will win the support of the US government.
The delegation had planned to set off this weekend and make stops in New York, Boston, Washington and San Francisco. The purpose was to meet with media, think tanks and possibly US government officials.
Wu dismissed speculation that US officials had refused to receive the group.
According to a Chinese-language newspaper, sources at the Presidential Office said the visit was not to include official meetings with US officials; however, if unofficial meetings were to take place, the officials should not be in high-ranking positions.
Wu said the trip had the potential to touch off a media frenzy.
According to Wu, the US was concerned that if news regarding the delegation became overexposed, American officials would have been put on the spot and faced a barrage of questions by the media.
Wu said the while the US sees the big picture with regard to the referendum, it does not yet know the details.
"The US is concerned with whether any of its responses will meet the expectations of or benefit Taiwan. Furthermore, prior to the presidential election in Taiwan, anything the US government states might be used to the advantage of the pan-blue or pan-green camps," Wu said.
According to Wu, low-key, continual interaction between Taiwan and US think tanks is the best way to communicate.
He warned that a high-profile visit by the delegation would have resulted in political fights.
Although the delegation's trip to the US has been deferred, the country still plans to send delegations to Europe and Asian countries as planned.
PLA MANEUVERS: Although Beijing has yet to formally announce military drills, its coast guard vessels have been spotted near and around Taiwan since Friday The Taiwanese military is on high alert and is closely monitoring the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) air and naval deployments after Beijing yesterday reserved seven airspace areas east of its Zhejiang and Fujian provinces through Wednesday. Beijing’s action was perceived as a precursor to a potential third “Joint Sword” military exercise, which national security experts said the PLA could launch following President William Lai’s (賴清德) state visits to the nation’s three Pacific allies and stopovers in Hawaii and Guam last week. Unlike the Joint Sword military exercises in May and October, when Beijing provided detailed information about the affected areas, it
CHINA: The activities come amid speculation that Beijing might launch military exercises in response to Lai’s recent visit to Pacific allies The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said China had nearly doubled the number of its warships operating around the nation in the previous 24 hours, ahead of what security sources expect would be a new round of war games. China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the nation in response to President William Lai’s (賴清德) recent visit to Pacific allies, including stops in Hawaii and Guam, a US territory. Lai returned from the week-long trip on Friday night. Beijing has held two rounds of war games around Taiwan this year, and sends ships and military planes
Five flights have been arranged to help nearly 2,000 Taiwanese tourists return home from Okinawa after being stranded due to cruise ship maintenance issues, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced yesterday. China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) have arranged five flights with a total of 748 additional seats to transport 1,857 passengers from the MSC Bellissima back to Taiwan, the ministry said. The flights have been scheduled for yesterday and today by the Civil Aviation Administration, with the cruise operator covering all associated costs. The MSC Bellissima, carrying 4,341 passengers, departed from Keelung on Wednesday last week for Okinawa,
US president-elect Donald Trump said he would “never say” if Washington is committed to defending Taiwan from China, but “I would prefer that they do not do it [ an attack],” adding that he has a “good relationship” with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). “I never say because I have to negotiate things, right?” Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker after saying he would not reveal his incoming administration’s stance on Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. Asked the question again, Trump, in a reference to China, said: “I would prefer that they
RSS