Critics accused Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of being oblivious to national security concerns after he proposed constructing a bridge to link Kinmen and China’s Xiamen (廈門).
Ko, who is also the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman, made the proposal when presiding over the opening ceremony of the party’s office in Kinmen on Saturday.
He said the bridge could solve Kinmen’s population, electricity and garbage problems, as well as serve as a shortcut for leaving or entering Taiwan without traveling via Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport).
Photo: Taipei Times
He also proposed building a hospital in Kinmen to attract people who are seeking medical treatment in Taiwan.
“Try it first and deal with the problems if they occur,” he said in response to national security concerns.
Independent Taipei City Councilor Lin Ying-meng (林穎孟) accused Ko of speaking for China, which she said falsely claimed the Taiwan Strait as “China’s inner sea” on Thursday.
Ko’s idea could pose “serious threats to Taiwan regarding diplomacy and national security,” Lin said.
A national security official who wished to remain anonymous asked whether Ko’s proposal was made rashly without considering national security or was catering to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
Kinmen would be completely subject to China if a bridge were built, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could occupy Kinmen and put Taiwan in danger of being annexed, they said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Mei-hui (王美惠) denounced the proposal as “giving Kinmen away to China,” while DPP Legislator Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) asked: “Why does Ko want to risk everything by building a bridge to open up for an invasion by the PLA ?”
Cross-Strait Policy Association secretary-general Wang Chih-sheng (王智盛) said that Ko’s proposal was either ignorant or oblivious to national security issues, which showed that the TPP lacks a central idea regarding Taiwan’s value.
“If a war breaks out, the PLA could quickly advance into Kinmen, which is the first target, before China’s full military assault against Taiwan... Ko is offering the ‘Trojan Horse’ scheme for China to take over Kinmen,” Taiwan Statebuilding Party spokesman Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said.
Ko yesterday said the proposed bridge could benefit economic cooperation between Kinmen and Taiwan proper, as it would eliminate the need for Taiwan Power Co (台電) to allocate an annual subsidy of NT$2 billion (US$67.25 million) to transport fuel to Kinmen for power generation, adding that buying electricity from Xiamen could save NT$15 per kilowatt-hour.
The bridge could further facilitate the “small three links,” which President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) touted when she headed the Mainland Affairs Council, he said.
The comment that a bridge would allow the PLA to easily launch an attack shows “a lack of backbone,” Ko said.
“Why haven’t they thought of it the other way around — that it would be easier for Taiwan’s military to reconquer mainland China?” he said.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
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