Comments by a member of a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) delegation to China could cause a rift in society, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday.
KMT Mainland Affairs Department head Lin Chu-chia (林祖嘉), who was part of a recent delegation to China led by KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言), on Wednesday attended a forum on cross-strait relations via videoconference.
Lin said in his opening remarks that the KMT upheld the “1992 consensus” — a term former MAC chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — opposed Taiwanese independence and sought improved cross-strait exchanges, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Photo: Screenshot from a livestream
Chiu said the delegation should not “echo the position of the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], nor give it a united front, which could divide Taiwanese society.”
The CCP’s interpretation of the “1992 consensus” leaves no room for Republic of China (ROC) sovereignty, he said, adding that Taiwanese have rejected the concept.
The council expressed its opposition to the KMT delegation’s trip, saying it was not the right time, he said.
“The government hopes there can be unity among parties at this time so we can face China’s violent threats toward Taiwan in solidarity, and together protect national interests,” he said.
Democratic Progressive Party spokeswoman Lee Yen-hui (李妍慧) yesterday said that Lin had broken the KMT’s promise that the delegation would not discuss politics.
She said the delegation should “exercise restraint and not forget about the country and people” it represents.
“Could it be that the only way the KMT can try to ensure cross-strait peace and stability is to abandon its self-proclaimed ‘anti-communist’ position, and to bow down to the CCP and appease it in every possible way?” she asked.
KMT Secretary-General Justin Huang (黃健庭) said in response that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has publicly stated that cross-strait relations should be promoted in accordance with the Constitution under the principle of reciprocity and peace, and that she also encourages constructive dialogue.
Lin’s comments at the forum were “in line with KMT’s party charter, and did not violate the ROC Constitution,” he added.
The KMT caucus said it was “absolutely not accommodating China,” while KMT LegislatorChiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said that Hsia should “clearly express the KMT’s opposition to the CCP’s military exercises, as well as the KMT’s resolve to defend the sovereignty of the ROC.”
Additional reporting by Wang Chien-hao and Tsai Ssu-pei
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
CHINA POLICY: At the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China, the two sides issued strong support for Taiwan and condemned China’s actions in the South China Sea The US and EU issued a joint statement on Wednesday supporting Taiwan’s international participation, notably omitting the “one China” policy in a departure from previous similar statements, following high-level talks on China and the Indo-Pacific region. The statement also urged China to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino cochaired the seventh US-EU Dialogue on China and the sixth US-EU Indo-Pacific Consultations from Monday to Tuesday. Since the Indo-Pacific consultations were launched in 2021, references to the “one China” policy have appeared in every statement apart from the
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