China must rethink its hardline stance toward Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said in a BBC interview that aired yesterday, adding that the nation is already independent and that any invasion would be “very costly” for Beijing.
Tsai on Saturday last week won a second term with a record 8.2 million votes, an outcome that was seen as a forceful rebuke of China’s ongoing campaign to isolate the nation.
In her first interview since her re-election, Tsai told the BBC that there was no need to formally announce independence because the nation already runs itself.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
“We don’t have a need to declare ourselves an independent state,” she said. “We are an independent country already and we call ourselves the Republic of China, Taiwan.”
“We have a separate identity and we’re a country of our own. We deserve respect from China,” Tsai said.
In the interview, which came as the nation held annual military drills in southern Taiwan, Tsai warned Beijing against sending in troops.
“Invading Taiwan is something that is going to be very costly for China,” she said.
Critics accuse Tsai of being needlessly antagonistic toward Beijing, but Tsai said that she had resisted pressure from within her own party to be more forceful on the issue of independence.
“There are so many pressures, so much pressure here that we should go further,” she said.
“Maintaining a ‘status quo’ remains our policy... I think that is a very friendly gesture to China.”
Tsai has repeatedly said that she is willing to talk to Beijing as long as there are no preconditions.
However, Beijing has refused, cutting off official communication with her administration.
Over the past four years, China has also has ramped up economic, military and diplomatic pressure, hoping it would scare voters into supporting the opposition, but its strong-arm tactics backfired with voters resoundingly backing Tsai for another four more years.
China yesterday responded to Tsai’s proposal for positive cross-strait interactions by reaffirming its adherence to the “1992 consensus.”
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Ma Xiaoguang (馬曉光) said at the first news conference held by the office since Tsai was re-elected that the “1992 consensus” must be adhered to for the development of cross-strait relations.
“Shaking a mountain is easy, rocking the ‘1992 consensus’ is difficult,” Ma added.
In her acceptance speech on Saturday night, Tsai said that peace, parity, democracy and dialogue are the key to positive cross-strait interactions and long-term stable development.
In response, Ma yesterday said that when the Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016, it refused to recognize the consensus.
This is the root cause of the deterioration in cross-strait relations, he said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party had since 2005 insisted on bolstering exchanges to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations based on the political foundation of the consensus and opposition to Taiwanese independence, and have achieved good results in this regard, Ma said.
Taiwan’s future lies in unification with China and the well-being of its people in national rejuvenation, Ma said, adding that Taiwanese compatriots are part of the Chinese people and Taiwan’s future should be decided by all Chinese.
The “1992 consensus” — a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted to making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old