Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators heaped scorn on President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) at the legislature yesterday, saying that he ignored election promises and recklessly pursued pro-China policies that damage Taiwan's sovereignty.
Two days before the second anniversary of Ma's inauguration, DPP lawmakers gave the government a “failing grade” for the last two years, which they said were marked by rising unemployment and stagnating wages.
“Where is this so-called golden decade?” DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) said, in reference to a political slogan used by Ma's campaign in 2008. “The president talks about his achievements all the time. Where are the results?”
Citing government statistics, Yeh said that wages had fallen to 1990 levels, unemployment and the gap between rich and poor had increased, as well as the country's suicide rates.
“Have things really gotten better?” she asked.
The president's China policies were raised by DPP caucus whip Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮), who said that Ma's refusal to define Taiwan and China as two separate countries undermined Taiwan's sovereignty and degraded its sovereign status.
Ma said in an interview with Mexican newspaper El Sol de Mexico months after his inauguration that cross-strait relations were not state-to-state and in an interview last year with the Chinese-language United Daily News, Ma said that both Taiwanese and Chinese were of the same nationality.
These comments “essentially sold Taiwan out,” Chai said, adding that the remarks could pave the way for Taiwan's unification with China.
On an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) that the government plans to sign with China next month, DPP lawmakers called it the latest example of Ma's administration focusing on cross-strait issues at the expense of internal policymaking.
“The president says that Taiwan will move forward. However, under [his administration], Taiwan has only moved forward toward China,” Yeh said.
“In the last two years of President Ma's administration, the people’s lives have yet to take a turn for the better. At the same time, public approval for his administration and his own personal ratings have continued to slide,” DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) said, adding that those were signs that could mean that Ma would be facing a tough re-election battle in 2012.
PROCEDURE: Although there is already a cross-strait agreement in place for the extradition of criminals, ample notice is meant to be given to the other side first Ten Taiwanese who were involved in fraud-related crimes in China were extradited back to Taiwan via Kinmen County on Wednesday, four of whom are convicted fraudsters in Taiwan. The 10 people arrived via a ferry operating between Xiamen and Kinmen, also known as the “small three links.” The Kinmen County Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said that four of the 10 extradited people were convicted in Taiwan for committing fraud and contravening the Money Laundering Control Act (洗錢防制法), and were on the wanted list. They were immediately arrested upon arrival and sent to Kinmen Prison to serve their sentences following brief questioning, the office said.
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
VIGILANT: Enterovirus activity remains in the epidemic phase, with the CDC urging caregivers of infected children to be on the lookout for signs of severe illness Influenza activity is rising in neighboring countries, and, with temperatures forecast to drop this week, flu cases are expected to increase in the next two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. Hospitals reported 87,162 visits for flu-like illnesses between Nov. 23 and Saturday, which remained about the same level as the previous week, but nine deaths and 24 cases with serious flu complications were also confirmed last week, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said. Flu activity reached a peak in late September before declining for eight consecutive weeks, CDC Deputy Director-General and spokesman Lin Min-cheng (林明誠)
A much-anticipated Keelung-Ishigaki Island passenger-cargo shipping route is scheduled to set off on its inaugural voyage at the end of this year, the route operator said. The route, which would be jointly administered by Taiwanese and Japanese operators, generated much discussion when it was first announced last month. The operators plan to offer three round-trip services per week in the initial stage. The service was scheduled to launch in September, but it was postponed until the end of this month due to issues with the ship’s interior design and paperwork. Trans Wagon International Co, which serves as the agent of the shipping service
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