China may be ready to reopen talks with Taiwan on direct commercial air links that have been frozen since 1999, the Washington Times quoted David Lee (李大維), Taiwan's top representative to the US, as saying yesterday.
"Hopefully, next year we may see a real window of opportunity to reopen dialogue between the two sides," Lee told the newspaper's editors and reporters at a luncheon on Monday.
On Tuesday, the diplomat said in an interview with the Central News Agency that the "10-point" directive that President Chen Shui-bian (
In the "10-point" directive, Chen instructed relevant government agencies to step up preparations for the opening of direct trade, postal and transportation links with China on the basis of a meeting in Hong Kong in 1992, said Lee.
The US government has on numerous occasions suggested Beijing grab the opportunity to re-start the long-stalled cross-strait dialogue, Lee added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday Lee reiterated Chen's position on reopening cross-strait talks in his interviews with the media.
"The US' policies remain unchanged [in facilitating cross-strait talks]. It will serve as a facilitator rather than a mediator," ministry spokesman Michel Lu (
As the Lunar New Year draws near with no sign of any progress toward establishing cross-strait charter flights, Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (
"From the last three Taiwan Affairs Office press conferences, it is clear that they [China] have not come to a final decision on the matter," Wu said, pointing out that different stances had been conveyed in each of the press conferences.
He said that the Chinese authorities had alternated between stressing the political and economic aspects of the flights.
"This is no different from what we predicted from the start -- nothing will happen until after the [legislative] elections. Right now, they [China] are just trying to buy some time to make a decision on the matter," Wu said.
Wu did not fail to repeat the customary call for Chinese cooperation on the matter, stressing that the sound of one hand clapping was silence.
"We've taken 10 steps forward, albeit one step at a time. However, they haven't even taken the first step. If they don't do that, we can't take the next step," Wu said.
Meanwhile, the US government is looking for a suitable person to head the Washington-based American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Lee said. The post has been left vacant since former AIT Chairwoman Therese Shaheen resigned in April.
Lee told reporters at a routine news conference that a final decision is expected to be made after the next US secretary of state assumes office in January.
He said he is delighted at US President George W. Bush's decision to appoint Stephen Hadley, incumbent deputy national security advisor, as the new national security advisor.
Hadley has a deep understanding of the Taiwan Strait issue and Taiwan welcomes Hadley's appointment as the new White House national security advisor, Lee said.
The diplomat said the Bush administration's policies toward Taiwan and China are expected to remain unchanged after current National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice takes over from Colin Powell as secretary of state.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS