President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday defended his policy of further opening the economy to China, saying that deeper cross-strait economic integration would not lead to political unification during his time in office.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Ma said the government understood the risks and challenges that come with developing relations with China and would maintain the “status quo” under the “three noes” policy — no unification, no independence and no use of force — while seeking cross-strait economic integration, including the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).
“We are fully aware of the potential risks and challenges, but developing relations with China also helps us create business opportunities. I believe the majority of the people agree that the strategy we adopted met Taiwan’s interests,” Ma said.
He dismissed the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) concerns that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was falling into a trap set by Beijing and would pay a political price for economic benefits, insisting there was no timetable for talks on unification.
“The development of cross-strait relations should proceed step by step and we have been busy dealing with economic and cultural issues, and there’s no timeframe to discuss other problems, including political issues,” Ma said.
“Taiwan’s economy is the biggest concern for the public and there is no pressing need to deal with political issues,” he said.
Saying that he did not ponder the definition and direction of cross-strait ties and that he would not open talks on unification during his second term if re-elected next year, Ma said his administration prioritized cross-strait economic development and that the country would hold more negotiations with China under the umbrella of the ECFA.
Ma said the country was only “a quarter to a third” of the way through opening its economy to China.
He said the government was working on expanding the nation’s international participation and seeking free-trade pacts with other countries, and reiterated his intention to purchase arms from the US.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Many Japanese couples are coming to Taiwan to obtain donated sperm or eggs for fertility treatment due to conservatism in their home country, Taiwan’s high standards and low costs, doctors said. One in every six couples in Japan is receiving infertility treatment, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data show. About 70,000 children are born in Japan every year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), or about one in every 11 children born. Few people accept donated reproductive cells in Japan due to a lack of clear regulations, leaving treatment in a “gray zone,” Taichung Nuwa Fertility Center medical director Wang Huai-ling (王懷麟)
PROXIMITY: Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location, the Executive Yuan official said Taiwan plans to boost cooperation with the Czech Republic in semiconductor development due to Prague’s pivotal role in the European IC industry, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said. With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) building a wafer fab in the German city of Dresden, a Germany-Czech Republic-Poland “silicon triangle” is forming, Kung said in a media interview on the weekend after returning from a visit to Prague. “Prague is closer to Dresden than Berlin is, so Taiwanese firms are expected to take advantage of the Czech capital’s location,” he said. “Taiwan and Prague have already launched direct flights and it is
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