Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Yu Shyi-kun yesterday denounced the US' "one China" policy as "outdated" and urged the US government to review it.
"The US' `one China' policy is self-contradictory," Yu said during a visit to a photography exhibition in Ilan.
"For example, the US has said Taiwan is not a country, but it regards our referendum [on seeking UN membership under the name `Taiwan'] as a move to change our national title. If we aren't a country, why do we have a national title?" he said.
Yu said that the US also contradicted itself by encouraging Taiwan to develop its democracy, but discouraging it from holding a referendum, joining the UN, writing a new constitution, changing its national title and declaring de jure independence.
Over the past months, US officials have on several occasions voiced opposition to President Chen Shui-bian's (
On Aug. 30, Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian affairs at the US National Security Council, told reporters that Taiwan's status was an undecided issue and that it was therefore not qualified to be a member of the UN.
Prior to this, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said on Aug. 27 that the US government opposed Taiwan's plan for a UN membership referendum because Washington believed it would constitute a move toward a declaration of de jure independence.
"There is no need for the US to be so nervous about this and oppose our proposed referendum on seeking UN membership because the referendum is a tool to demonstrate the will and resolution of the Taiwanese people," Yu said yesterday, while repeatedly stressing the value of the friendship between Washington and Taipei.
"The US is an important ally of our nation," Yu said.
Separately, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said the nation should maintain the "status quo," rather than making any moves toward either unification with China or independence.
Ma also voiced concern about Taiwan-US relations, urging President Chen to prioritize the nation's interests.
"President Chen's planned referendum on a UN bid crossed the red line drawn by the US and has put Taiwan in a difficult situation," Ma said yesterday during a visit to Kaohsiung.
Ma said the KMT's version of the UN referendum did not address the issue of changing the "status quo," and therefore would not draw criticism from the US.
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS