Taiwan wants to make friends with as many countries as possible, but it will rely on itself in the end, President Chen Shui-bian (
Speaking to the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun, Chen said he regretted that Japan switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing three decades ago, adding that though Taiwan was angry with Japan's decision, it has since dedicated itself to economic and democratic development.
Regarding China's claim that freedom, democracy and human rights are values of the West, and that Asia has its own values, the president said that freedom, democracy and human rights are universally accepted values, adding that if Taiwan has been able to move to adopt these principles, why can't China?
On the new leadership of China after the Communist Party congress, which starts today, when President Jiang Zemin (江澤民) is expected to hand over the reins of the nation to Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), the president said Beijing's leaders were not elected by the free will of the people, and that the new leaders were designated during the era of patriarch Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平).
Those who are leading the country do not know the true value of democracy, the president said, adding that China does not respect the free will of its 1.2 billion people and will likewise not respect the free will of the 23 million people on Taiwan.
Chen expressed the hope, however, that China would change its policy toward Taiwan.
He also criticized the way Japan has been treating Taiwan, saying that for 30 years, it has leaned toward China and ignored Taiwan.
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
Yangmingshan National Park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) nature area has gone viral after a park livestream camera observed a couple in the throes of intimate congress, which was broadcast live on YouTube, drawing large late-night crowds and sparking a backlash over noise, bright lights and disruption to wildlife habitat. The area’s livestream footage appeared to show a couple engaging in sexual activity on a picnic table in the park on Friday last week, with the uncensored footage streamed publicly online. The footage quickly spread across social media, prompting a tide of visitors to travel to the site to “check in” and recreate the
Fast food chain McDonald's is to raise prices by up to NT$5 on some products at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting on Wednesday next week, the company announced today. The prices of all extra value meals and sharing boxes are to increase by NT$5, while breakfast combos and creamy corn soup would go up by NT$3, the company said in a statement. The price of the main items of those meals, if ordered individually, would remain the same. Meanwhile, the price of a medium-sized lemon iced tea and hot cappuccino would rise by NT$3, extra dipping sauces for chicken nuggets would go up
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not
RSS