The opposition yesterday dismissed President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) proposal to hold a summit of political leaders following Chen's decision not to meet with PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜).
PFP officials said they doubted the feasibility of a political summit now that "even a simple request intended to convey the voices of the people has been rejected."
The KMT also declined the offer of a political summit, but sent a report to the Presidential Office outlining possible solutions to the country's economic problems.
"The most important quality of a politician is his credibility," KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) said yesterday. "It isn't a good example to change one's mind three hours after an agreement has been hammered out."
Lien said reviving the economy is the most urgent matter, and KMT officials would brief the Presidential Office in more detail if the written report was not clear enough.
Lien did not directly respond when asked whether he would meet Chen, saying people should not presume that the president would not understand the report when he had not had a chance to read it.
On receiving the report from KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正), Presidential Office Secretary-General Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), however, told Lin that the president expects "two-way communication" with Lien.
"A written report is one way, so we hope to discuss the economic issues raised in the report with the KMT, especially Chairman Lien, after reading through it," Chen Shih-meng said.
By proposing a political summit, the president hopes to gather the ruling and opposition parties to build consensus on major national policies and integrate the differences between political parties, according to Chen Shih-meng.
Lin replied that the political summit is "a separate matter that should be kept for another time."
"Rescuing Taiwan's economy should be our top priority at the moment. We should put aside politics now and start talking about the economy," Lin said.
Also yesterday, PFP Secretary-General David Chung (鍾榮吉) said his party would only decide on whether to take part in the political summit after the idea has matured.
Chung said it was regrettable that the Presidential Office reversed its agreement with the PFP, as it was Chen Shih-meng who suggested during Monday's negotiations that the Chen-Soong meeting be held on Sunday.
PFP spokesman Hsieh Kung-ping (謝公秉), meanwhile, said it was likely that discussions held in the form of a political summit would turn out to be "mere empty words" because of the differences between the parties' opinions and ideologies.
"When it is already so difficult to meet the president to pass on the voices of the people, wouldn't it be even more difficult for other things?" Hsieh said.
Hsieh cited last year's Economic Development Advisory Conference as an example of an ineffective meeting, saying very few of the conclusions reached by the conference have been implemented.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS