A visit to China by a group of 17 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers “is doing nothing regarding China’s continuing military intimidation against Taiwan,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said yesterday.
Wang made the remarks as the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement that 22 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and four PLA Navy vessels were detected around Taiwan in the 24 hours leading up to 6am yesterday.
Twelve of the 22 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern air defense identification zone, including an unspecified number that flew as close as 37 nautical miles (68.5km) to Keelung, the ministry said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
The armed forces monitored the situation and used combat air patrol aircraft, navy vessels and coastal missile systems in response, the ministry said.
“The KMT members have become tools for Beijing’s united front propaganda campaign,” Wang said. “Beijing is manipulating Taiwan’s parliament by using democracy to kill democracy.”
“It is regretful that the 17 KMT lawmakers now in China are afraid to speak up for Taiwan, as we still face constant military threats from China and intimidatory gray zone tactics. We cannot see how the KMT’s ‘trip to promote peace and friendship’ has achieved anything. Instead they are acting like sycophants by pandering to Chinese officials,” Wang said.
The KMT delegation, headed by KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi, returned to Taiwan yesterday after three days in Beijing.
Fu has said the goal of the visit was to foster peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.
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