The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.
Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week.
Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation.
Photo: CNA
He appealed for everyone to always love their country, to learn from the martyrs who made great sacrifices and to live up to the contributions of those who came before.
He compared the PRC’s recent national day on Oct. 1, marking its 75th anniversary, with the ROC, which turns 113 on Thursday.
“The PRC could not be the motherland of the people of the ROC,” he said.
Photo: CNA
As the ROC is older, the PRC cannot be its homeland, and in fact, for people aged 75 or older in China, the ROC might be their actual homeland, he added.
There is no question regarding ROC sovereignty, as it is firmly rooted in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Mastu, Lai said.
He reminded those who wished to extend congratulations to the PRC for its own national day to choose their words carefully and avoid terms like “motherland.”
Photo courtesy of the Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism
Last night’s event is to be followed by an official ceremony in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on Thursday morning, where Lai would deliver a speech, his first National Day address since taking office in May.
The National Day ceremony in front of the Presidential Office Building is usually organized by a team headed by the legislative speaker.
Therefore, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) is the head of the official ceremony’s organizing team this year.
This year’s event also marks the first time in eight years that the organizing team is led by an opposition leader.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
RSS