The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) signed a secret accord before last year's presidential election, paving the way for senior KMT officials to visit China, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus alleged yesterday.
KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's (
The DPP caucus also called on Chiang, who is due back tomorrow, not to sign any agreement with the Chinese government, saying that he could face life imprisonment were he to do so.
PHOTO: LIAO CHENG-HUI, TAIPEI TIMES
DPP caucus Secretary-General Chen Chin-jun (
The parties agreed to arrange meetings for high-ranking KMT officials, including Lien. They also agreed to form a unification committee, and push for direct links and the signing of a peace accord.
Despite Lien's losing the election, the agreement has gradually materialized as evidenced by three recent incidents, Chen said.
The first was Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
Second, the KMT sent a delegation on Monday led by Chiang to visit China with the hope of pushing for cooperation and reconciliation with the CCP.
Chiang's visit will be followed by Lien's visit to China in June, when he is scheduled to hold a summit with Chinese Communist Party Secretary-General Hu Jintao (
Chen said that the KMT owes the public an explanation as to whether the delegation's purpose in visiting China is to "sell out Taiwan."
"I'd like to know what kind of deal the KMT strikes with the CCP, and what it will trade with China for its own gain," he said.
Hsu Kuo-yung (
Article 113 of the Criminal Code stipulates that persons not authorized by the government who take the liberty of signing a contract or agreement with a foreign government are subject to a minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
DPP caucus whip Lai Ching-teh (
"I hope the KMT sees clearly what the Chinese government is up to and refrains from falling into the snare set up by China," Lai said.
While over 90 percent of Taiwanese people say they oppose China's "Anti-Secession" Law, and the legislature has passed a resolution condemning the bill, Lai said that the KMT is sending the wrong message to China by sending a delegation there.
In response, KMT Legislator Kuo Su-chun (
"Such a groundless and audacious charge is defamatory and slanderous," she said.
"Instead of dampening our enthusiasm to do something for the country, I hope the DPP government recognize the effort we put in to better cross-strait relations, since it cannot, refuses to or doesn't have the guts to do anything," she said.
While President Chen Shui-bian (
"What the DPP is good at is nothing but fabricating unwarranted accusations and smearing others' reputations," he said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
COLD FACTS: ‘Snow skin’ mooncakes, made with a glutinous rice skin and kept at a low temperature, have relatively few calories compared with other mooncakes Traditional mooncakes are a typical treat for many Taiwanese in the lead-up to the Mid-Autumn Festival, but a Taipei-based dietitian has urged people not to eat more than one per day and not to have them every day due to their high fat and calorie content. As mooncakes contain a lot of oil and sugar, they can have negative health effects on older people and those with diabetes, said Lai Yu-han (賴俞含), a dietitian at Taipei Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. “The maximum you can have is one mooncake a day, and do not eat them every day,” Lai
RSS