China's new premier quoted a sad poem about national division yesterday as he promised that Beijing would seek expanded cultural and economic exchanges with Taiwan.
During his first news conference as China's No. 3 leader, Wen Jiabao (
Wen said ``lots of feelings well up'' inside him when Taiwan is mentioned.
Appealing to Taiwanese, he cited a few mournful lines written by Yu You-jen (
"Bury me on the highest mountaintop so I can get a sight of my mainland," he said. "Mainland, I see none. Tears of sorrow touch my face."
Wen, 61, was elected premier on Sunday by the National People's Congress.
Taiwanese officials did not immediately respond to Wen's remarks yesterday. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has repeatedly said he won't agree to talks that require him to accept that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.
In previous years, Chinese premiers have used such news conferences to warn the Taiwanese that ruling out eventual unification could lead to war.
But Wen avoided the usual bellicose rhetoric, which has previously backfired on Beijing, causing many Taiwanese to become even more distrustful of the communist leadership.
Wen said China was seeking "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan.
He also added that the government "will continue to support more economic and cultural exchanges" so that direct shipping and air links can start.
In related news, the China Support Network reported Monday that Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng (
The group said Wei made the call in Atlanta last week.
Wei reportedly noted that the specter of war in the Taiwan Strait would recede if China became a democracy, saying this is why Chinese democracy matters very much to the people of Taiwan and why they should treat Chinese democracy movement as their own.
Noting that Taiwan is in fact an independent state, Wei cautioned the Taiwanese that the "one country, two systems" promises of the Chinese government are not trustworthy.
According to the China Support Network, Wei also said that it is best for the people of Taiwan to maintain the status quo for the sake of peace and freedom, urging that the discussion on unification versus independence be shelved until such time as China is ruled by a truly democratic government.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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