Former premier Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) plans to visit China next week to sound out Beijing's response to his concept of a "cross-strait common market" as a means for soothing cross-strait ties.
"The two sides should look beyond their political feud in a world marked by increasing globalization," Siew said yesterday.
If the trip is approved by the government, Siew will be the second KMT vice chairman to visit China in six months, although he said he will travel in his capacity as a private citizen. The Ministry of the Interior is expected to review his case today.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
On Wednesday, the Cabinet proposed imposing a fine -- ranging from NT$200,000 to NT$1 million -- on ex-officials involved in national security who travel to China without permission.
Siew and 20 local business leaders plan to visit Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen from May 8 until May 16. Before stepping down as premier last May, Siew served as chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council from 1994 to 1995.
Siew's idea of a regional common market has the backing of President Chen Shui-bian (
The foundation was set up with Siew and 19 leading industrialists donating NT$5 million each.
They envisage Taiwan and China normalizing trade relations at the first stage and signing a free trade pact and harmonizing their regulations and standards at the next stage. Under his plan, the two sides would harmonize their customs duties and monetary policies in the third stage, paving the way for the establishment of a common market.
The Chien Feng IV (勁蜂, Mighty Hornet) loitering munition is on track to enter flight tests next month in connection with potential adoption by Taiwanese and US armed forces, a government source said yesterday. The kamikaze drone, which boasts a range of 1,000km, debuted at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in September, the official said on condition of anonymity. The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and US-based Kratos Defense jointly developed the platform by leveraging the engine and airframe of the latter’s MQM-178 Firejet target drone, they said. The uncrewed aerial vehicle is designed to utilize an artificial intelligence computer
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday decided to shelve proposed legislation that would give elected officials full control over their stipends, saying it would wait for a consensus to be reached before acting. KMT Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍) last week proposed amendments to the Organic Act of the Legislative Yuan (立法院組織法) and the Regulations on Allowances for Elected Representatives and Subsidies for Village Chiefs (地方民意代表費用支給及村里長事務補助費補助條例), which would give legislators and councilors the freedom to use their allowances without providing invoices for reimbursement. The proposal immediately drew criticism, amid reports that several legislators face possible charges of embezzling fees intended to pay
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Renewed border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia showed no signs of abating yesterday, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced people in both countries living in strained conditions as more flooded into temporary shelters. Reporters on the Thai side of the border heard sounds of outgoing, indirect fire yesterday. About 400,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Thailand and about 700 schools closed while fighting was ongoing in four border provinces, said Thai Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a spokesman for the military. Cambodia evacuated more than 127,000 villagers and closed hundreds of schools, the Thai Ministry of Defense said. Thailand’s military announced that
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