The most significant change to cross-strait relations in the 10 years since the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis has been the rise of China's economic and military might, academics and officials said yesterday.
China launched a series of missiles into the waters off Taiwan from late 1995 to early 1996 in reaction to the US issuing a visa to enable former president Lee Teng-hui (
At a conference held by the cross-strait Interflow Prospect Foundation to mark the 10th anniversary of the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis yesterday, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Vice Chairman You Ying-lung (
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"The cross-strait military balance is becoming increasingly unbalanced and is tilting towards China, directly impacting the prospects for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the strategic balance in the region," You said.
You said that a political compromise between China and Taiwan would be difficult to come by in the foreseeable future, regardless of which political party governed Taiwan.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) takes a firm position on maintaining Taiwan's sovereignty and independence, You said, adding that even though the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is more amenable to the "one China" principle, albeit interpreting the "one China" as the "Republic of China," it would not necessarily make concessions to China.
Lin Wen-cheng (林文程), a former National Security Council adviser, said that the Sept. 11 terrorist attack was a turning point in which China reaped handsome political capital to become the US' partner in the global war on terror, with the result that it gained the upper hand in US-China-Taiwan relations.
"The US and Taiwan began to have differences on their understanding of a so-called cross-strait `red line.' Taiwan thought it knew where the line was, but the US kept taking a strict stance and pushing Taiwan back," Lin said. He added that, "Increasingly, the US fears that Taiwan will break a tacit agreement and overstep the red line."
Tung Chen-yuan (
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
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