KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
"Vice President Lu is right. It was a miscalculation. Actually, it involved more than just a miscalculation," Lien told a KMT campaign rally in Taichung County.
"They miscalculated the situation because a few people were making the decision behind closed doors, looking at the sky from the bottom of a well and showing no respect for professionalism," Lien said.
While Lien, a former premier and vice president, has expressed his strong disapproval for the DPP government's handling of the matter on several previous occasions, this was the first time he found himself agreeing with a DPP politician.
During an interview with a local magazine, Lu said that President Chen Shui-bian (
Lu said that the Presidential Office had also miscalculated the negative impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the international political climate.
Lien said China has always been rude and irrational toward Taiwan, a fact that Taiwan can never ignore.
Taiwan must have a variety of different tactics and strategies prepared ahead of time when dealing with China and make decisions based on the best interests of the nation, Lien said.
Instead of admitting its mistakes in dealing with the matter, Lien said, Chen has appealed to his anti-China supporters for sympathy, blaming China for "bullying" Taiwan.
"Winning the elections is [Chen's] main priority. The dignity of the nation is never at the forefront," Lien said.
In addition to the APEC issue, Lien yesterday criticized the DPP for the discriminatory tactics being used to crack down on vote buying.
Lien said investigators had closely surveyed and videotaped a fundraising banquet held by KMT lawmaker Liao Fung-te (
Lien questioned why investigators had not surveyed the fund-raising banquet hosted by the DPP's Mainstream Alliance, which took place in a five-star hotel with each participant paying NT$50,000 to attend.
While people joining tours organized by the KMT were searched by police and even taken in for questioning, the DPP transported without incident supporters from around Taiwan in tour buses to visit the Presidential Office, Lien said.
"Is this a democratic country or not? This is making people lose their sense of pride and instilling a sense of fear in everybody," Lien said.
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
RSS