The nomenclature that will be used by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits when they set up their offices in each other’s territory will not symbolize that Taiwan and China are in a state-to-state relationship, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said yesterday.
Wang made the remarks in response to questions by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) at the legislature.
Earlier last month, Wang said that Taipei and Beijing have exchanged views on the possibility of the association and the foundation setting up offices in their respective territories under the framework of the so-called “1992 consensus,” or what President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has interpreted as “one China, with each side having its own interpretation.”
Asked by Hsiao to explain whether the offices would be defined as overseas missions or as domestic institutions, and what the offices would be characterized as to define the relationship between the two sides, Wang said the office would use the SEF plaque, but that there would also be council officials and officials from other government agencies attending to cross-strait affairs stationed at the office.
The foundation’s office would deal with cross-strait affairs, ranging from economic exchanges and trade issues to people-to-people contacts and emergency disaster relief, Wang said.
He added that while the government hopes the foundation’s office will serve as a consulate to issue travel documents to Chinese citizens, Beijing has not agreed to the proposal.
China is concerned that having the foundation’s office issue travel documents could create a “misunderstanding” that Taiwan and China are in a state-to-state relationship, he said.
“We are still in talks with the mainland side [China],” Wang said.
Wang said the details governing the arrangement would be presented to the legislature for review next month at the earliest.
Meanwhile, in response to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ting Shou-chung (丁守中), Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said that the time for Taiwan to negotiate a peace accord with China was not ripe, because China always places such a treaty under the “one China” framework and it has sent different messages as to whether it allows for Taiwan’s interpretation of “one China” as the “Republic of China.”
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS