The Presidential Office yesterday rejected a local columnist’s accusation that the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was “timid in making remarks or statements that may offend Beijing.”
Wang Chien-chuang (王健壯) leveled the accusation in a column published in the Chinese-language China Times on Thursday, adding that the Ma administration “should not surrender its discourse rights to Beijing.”
The columnist, a former president of the China Times, also wrote that the Ma administration’s cross-strait policy of “no unification, no independence and no use of force” actually has a fourth “no” — “no talking” about subjects that may offend Beijing.
Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said the columnist’s argument was off base.
“President Ma Ying-jeou has on many occasions spoken out on issues on cross-strait relations and has never relinquished his right of free speech,” Wang Yu-chi said.
He said Ma has twice made public remarks on anniversaries of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square Massacre to protest Beijing’s suppression of democracy.
Ma has also expressed his opinions on the sentencing of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波), he said.
The columnist also accused the Ma administration of talking only about the “different interpretations” of its policy of “‘one China’ with different interpretations,” but it has never touched on the essence of “one China.”
Wang Yu-chi said that while Beijing often plays up the “one China” policy, Taiwan should stress the importance of “different interpretations” to safeguard Taiwanese identity.
“President Ma has persistently insisted on Taiwan’s national identity, despite Beijing’s displeasure,” the spokesman said.
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