The People First Party (PFP) yesterday called media coverage of PFP Chairman James Soong’s (宋楚瑜) interview with China’s official Xinhua news agency a distortion of the facts.
Media coverage of Soong’s interview on Monday quoted him as saying that “Taiwan is a part of China” and that unification is the joint responsibility of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
It also cited him as agreeing with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) proposed “one country, two systems” framework for Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of the People First Party
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday said that sustaining the nation’s democratic system is the best solution for the people, while Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) said that Soong should not have so easily consented to the proposed framework, as such comments would greatly limit the ability of Taiwanese to make choices in terms of political dialogue across the Taiwan Strait.
The Mainland Affairs Council urged the PFP to “restore the facts,” saying that it is a national consensus that Taiwan does not accept the framework and that politicians should be truthful when conveying the will of the public.
PFP Secretary-General Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said that Soong never mentioned the “one country, two systems” framework in the interview, adding that “there has been a great misunderstanding: The ‘China’ mentioned by Soong referred to the Republic of China [ROC].”
The PFP also issued a statement saying that Soong supported “exploring alternatives” and not endorsing the “one China, two countries” framework for Taiwan.
The party cannot accept the framework, but feels that there must be dialogue — which must fully observe democratic processes and values — to decide what system to adopt, such as the current situation of equal states across the Taiwan Strait, it said.
In accordance with the Constitution and the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), Taiwan and China are parts of the ROC, it added.
An impasse in cross-strait relations must be resolved by sincere and constructive dialogue by both sides, the PFP said, adding that through dialogue, Taiwan could express its thoughts and which values must be upheld.
Asked to comment on Soong’s remarks, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said: “Friends are friends, but that does not mean I have to agree with and support everything he says.”
“I respect everyone’s remarks, but there is one thing that is of the utmost importance: Taiwan’s future should be decided by Taiwanese,” he added.
Additional reporting by Lee I-chia
US climber Alex Honnold is to attempt to scale Taipei 101 without a rope and harness in a live Netflix special on Jan. 24, the streaming platform announced on Wednesday. Accounting for the time difference, the two-hour broadcast of Honnold’s climb, called Skyscraper Live, is to air on Jan. 23 in the US, Netflix said in a statement. Honnold, 40, was the first person ever to free solo climb the 900m El Capitan rock formation in Yosemite National Park — a feat that was recorded and later made into the 2018 documentary film Free Solo. Netflix previewed Skyscraper Live in October, after videos
Starting on Jan. 1, YouBike riders must have insurance to use the service, and a six-month trial of NT$5 coupons under certain conditions would be implemented to balance bike shortages, a joint statement from transportation departments across Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan announced yesterday. The rental bike system operator said that coupons would be offered to riders to rent bikes from full stations, for riders who take out an electric-assisted bike from a full station, and for riders who return a bike to an empty station. All riders with YouBike accounts are automatically eligible for the program, and each membership account
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
Temperatures are forecast to drop steadily as a continental cold air mass moves across Taiwan, with some areas also likely to see heavy rainfall, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. From today through early tomorrow, a cold air mass would keep temperatures low across central and northern Taiwan, and the eastern half of Taiwan proper, with isolated brief showers forecast along Keelung’s north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City’s mountainous areas and eastern Taiwan, it said. Lows of 11°C to 15°C are forecast in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan County, and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and 14°C to 17°C
RSS