The Democratic Progressive Party headquarters yesterday turned down President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) invitation to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to meet at a memorial service marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
DPP spokesman Tseng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) said Tsai would not meet Ma for discussion in that context.
“The chairperson will not accept the invitation to attend the event,” Cheng said. “Ma has turned the memorial service into a promotional event for himself. It would be inappropriate for the chairperson to attend.”
Cheng made the comment yesterday afternoon, adding that Tsai would send a written reply to the president.
“We still believe that an open debate would be the best way to let the people know the direction of Taiwan’s future,” he said.
Earlier yesterday, Presidential Office Secretary-General Chan Chun-po (詹春柏) delivered an invitation at Ma’s request to DPP Caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) to give to Tsai.
The DPP, meanwhile, extended an invitation to Ma to attend tomorrow’s State Affairs Forum, co-sponsored by the DPP and the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
Cheng said minority groups would participate at the forum, adding that Ma should take the opportunity to listen to the nation’s marginalized voices.
Talk about a meeting between Ma and Tsai has been in the air, but Ma and Tsai have not agreed on an agenda or the format of any discussion.
In related news, Cheng yesterday said Tsai would visit the US and Canada early next month to raise funds for the party’s candidates in the year-end city and county elections.
During the 10-day trip, Tsai will attend an executive committee meeting of Liberal International scheduled for May 1 to May 3 in Vancouver, Canada, to promote party diplomacy and enhance Taiwan’s international visibility, Cheng said.
Tsai will then head to the US to meet expatriates, though the details of her itinerary have not been finalized, he said.
DPP sources said Tsai would visit several US think tanks, such as the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation.
Tsai will also visit officials of the new US administration to explain the DPP’s goals and activities and discuss Taiwan’s political situation, the sources said.
The DPP chairperson also plans to visit Southeast Asian countries to meet overseas party members and expatriates there, the sources said.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from
RSS