Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) brought disgrace, not honor, to Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) by paying homage at his tomb in Nanjing yesterday, because he had abandoned Sun's democratic ideals and embraced communism, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) said yesterday.
"Dr Sun Yat-sen's `Three Principles of the People' reflected his belief in founding the Republic of China [ROC]. Lien should take Sun's ideals and Taiwan's democratic achievement to China. However, Lien was just catering to the Chinese Communist Party [CCP]," TSU Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) said yesterday at a news conference.
"In fact, Lien brought shame on Sun," he said.
Confusion
Lien said yesterday in Nanjing that his visit to Sun's grave reminded him of Sun's last words: "peace, striving and saving China" and he urged people to work together to "build a future for the Chinese people."
"Lien's remarks showed his confusion about ideology and identification," Chen said. "Lien didn't voice support for the people of Taiwan on March 26 in the massive march that effectively put pressure on China. On the contrary, he has tried to find legitimacy for [China's] `Anti-Secession' Law."
"Lien is holding a candle to the devil," Chen added.
Chen said that Lien is ignorant of the fact Beijing is using him to justify the passage of its Anti-Secession Law because he is so intoxicated by the illusion of returning home in glory.
"However, what is behind the scenes of Lien's seeming glory in China is the blood and tears of the people of Taiwan," Chen said, while denouncing clashes between pan-blue and pan-green supporters at CKS airport on Tuesday.
Nine TSU supporters from Changhua County were seriously injured in the clashes. Each suffered lacerations to the head, caused by gangsters wearing brass knuckles, Chen said.
Canceled?
Chen said the TSU might cancel protests at the airport planned for May 3, the day Lien comes back from China and May 5, the day People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) leaves for a trip to China, over concerns that the violence might happen again and in consideration of supporters' safety.
"The TSU is quite worried that the Legislative Yuan might become China's Legislative Council if Lien or Soong reach any agreement with Beijing," Chen said. "They might order pan-blue lawmakers to carry out China's unification law in our legislature, which we think is a formidable crisis that we can't make light of."
Travel agencies in Taiwan are working to secure alternative flights for travelers bound for New Zealand for the Lunar New Year holiday, as Air New Zealand workers are set to strike next week. The airline said that it has confirmed that the planned industrial action by its international wide-body cabin crew would go ahead on Thursday and Friday next week. While the Auckland-based carrier pledged to take reasonable measures to mitigate the impact of the workers’ strike, an Air New Zealand flight arriving at Taipei from Auckland on Thursday and another flight departing from Taipei for Auckland on Saturday would have to
The Taipei City Government yesterday confirmed that it has negotiated a royalties of NT$12.2 billion (US$380 million) with artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant Nvidia Corp, with the earliest possible signing date set for Wednesday next week. The city has been preparing for Nvidia to build its Taiwan headquarters in Beitou-Shilin Technology Park since last year, and the project has now entered its final stage before the contract is signed. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city government has completed the royalty price negotiations and would now push through the remaining procedures to sign the contract before
Taipei Zoo welcomes the Lunar New Year this year through its efforts to protect an endangered species of horse native to central Asia that was once fully extinct outside of captivity. The festival ushering in the Year of the Horse would draw attention to the zoo’s four specimens of Przewalski’s horse, named for a Russian geographer who first encountered them in the late 19th century across the steppes of western Mongolia. “Visitors will look at the horses and think that since this is the Year of the Horse: ‘I want to get to know horses,’” said zookeeper Chen Yun-chieh, who has been
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania was agreed by both sides, after Lithuania’s prime minister described a 2021 decision to let Taiwan set up a de facto embassy in Vilnius as a “mistake.” Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene, who entered office in September last year, told the Baltic News Service on Tuesday that Lithuania had begun taking “small first steps” aimed at restoring ties with Beijing. The ministry in a statement said that Taiwan and Lithuania are important partners that share the values of freedom and democracy. Since the establishment of the