Vice President Annette Lu (
Lu made the remarks during a meeting with foreign correspondents after the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games executive vice-president Jiang Xiaoyu (
political maneuver
Describing China's scheme as a political maneuver, the vice president said it violated the spirit of the Olympics.
She said the Taiwanese government would like to see the torch come in from South Korea and then proceed to Vietnam before entering Hong Kong and Macau.
Lu said that Beijing's proposal was an overt scheme aimed at claiming sovereignty over Taiwan.
Lu made the remarks during an informal meeting with foreign correspondents at the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Government Information Office Spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) said that maintaining fairness and dignity was key to the whole torch issue and that it would be "the political equivalent of doping" for China to attempt to put political pressure on Taiwan in the sporting arena.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was asked in an interview whether or not he would go to the 2008 Olympics if elected.
"I haven't thought about it," Ma said.
referendum
Lu also defended the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) plan to hold a referendum on joining the UN using the name "Taiwan," which she said reflected the country's "soft power."
Lu said she believed many countries would not agree with or support China's oppression of Taiwan, adding that the nation was not trying to provoke China and that the vote would not lead to military conflict.
The DPP plans to hold the referendum alongside presidential elections next March.
"It is the basic right of Taiwanese to join the United Nations ... It is definitely not our intention to provoke China," Lu said. "All democratic countries have no reason to oppose it."
Repeated attempts by Taiwan to join the UN in the past decade have failed, but the DPP hopes the referendum will remind voters that the nation's diplomatic isolation is a result of bullying by Beijing and that the opposition favors closer economic ties with China.
"Taiwan's democratically elected leaders have been internationally isolated by China for a long time. We think enough is enough," Lu said.
Lu dismissed speculation that the referendum, if passed, would provoke military conflict between Taiwan and China.
Additional reporting by Angelica Oung
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS