The Republic of China is already an independent nation, and as such has no need to declare independence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a press release yesterday, after an EU official stated on Friday that Taiwan should not make any unilateral declaration of independence.
The ministry said it noticed European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell published a piece on the European External Action Service Web site on Friday, stating that the EU’s “one China” policy remains unchanged and that “Taiwan should not embark on any unilateral declaration of independence.”
Borrell said that while the EU is aware of how important Taiwan is for China, as a major security issue in EU-China relations, the “status quo” should be maintained, and that China should not erode it, whether by coercion or force.
Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, in his remarks, Borrell stated that the EU’s bilateral ties with Taiwan would continue, but without diplomatic recognition.
He added that the EU would keep calling for all tensions to be resolved through dialogue, and added it has consistently asked interlocutors on all sides to avoid any actions that could lead to an escalation.
MOFA said it affirmed Borrell’s comments on maintaining Taiwan-EU relations, as well as calling for the resolution of cross-strait issues through dialogue.
The ministry added that Taiwan and the EU cooperating would be beneficial to sustaining international peace, stability and prosperity.
However, concerning the “one China” policy mentioned in Borrell’s article, the ministry said that Taiwan is already an independent country, and as a free and democratic nation, the state’s future can only be determined by its people, a fact it hopes the EU and all democratic countries can respect and understand.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS