A group of 17 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators departed on Friday for China, saying before their flight that they believe the trip is the right decision despite criticism from the opposition.
The lawmakers led by KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) held a news conference at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 2:30pm before their flight.
They were met by protesters and supporters, with both sides holding placards either criticizing them for leaving amidst natural disasters or calling for cross-strait interaction.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
In addition to Fu, other members of the delegation include KMT legislators Chang Chih-lun (張智倫), Liao Hsien-hsiang (廖先翔), Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生), Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍), Huang Jen (黃仁), Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲), Cheng Cheng-chien (鄭正鈐), Lin Chien-chi (林倩綺), Chiu Chen-chun (邱鎮軍), Yu Hao (游顥), Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥), Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), Sasuyu Ruljuwan and Sra Kacaw.
As the morning’s legislative procedures ended early, KMT legislators Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才) and Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) reportedly decided to join last minute.
Speaking to reporters at the legislature in the morning, Huang said that the party’s lawmakers had heard the public’s response to the trip, but decided that the people’s livelihood is the most important thing.
There should be positive interaction in cross-strait relations, he said.
Weng said she hopes to share Taiwan’s agricultural and fishery products with “Chinese friends.”
There is no wrong time to promote economic exchange, she said, adding that if the Democratic Progressive Party would not do it, the KMT will.
Cheng said that the group has still not seen the itinerary, but trusts that Fu will organize it well.
He denied that they were sworn to secrecy, saying only that they did not ask many details.
Chen said that the main goal of the visit was to convey to China the desire for peace, resumption of tourism and promotion of cross-strait development.
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
Fast food chain McDonald's is to raise prices by up to NT$5 on some products at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting on Wednesday next week, the company announced today. The prices of all extra value meals and sharing boxes are to increase by NT$5, while breakfast combos and creamy corn soup would go up by NT$3, the company said in a statement. The price of the main items of those meals, if ordered individually, would remain the same. Meanwhile, the price of a medium-sized lemon iced tea and hot cappuccino would rise by NT$3, extra dipping sauces for chicken nuggets would go up
Yangmingshan National Park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) nature area has gone viral after a park livestream camera observed a couple in the throes of intimate congress, which was broadcast live on YouTube, drawing large late-night crowds and sparking a backlash over noise, bright lights and disruption to wildlife habitat. The area’s livestream footage appeared to show a couple engaging in sexual activity on a picnic table in the park on Friday last week, with the uncensored footage streamed publicly online. The footage quickly spread across social media, prompting a tide of visitors to travel to the site to “check in” and recreate the
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) yesterday cited regulatory issues and national security concerns as an expert said that Taiwan is among the few Asian regions without Starlink. Lin made the remarks on Facebook after funP Innovation Group chief executive officer Nathan Chiu (邱繼弘) on Friday said Taiwan and four other countries in Asia — China, North Korea, Afghanistan and Syria — have no access to Starlink. Starlink has become available in 166 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, in the six years since it became commercial, he said. While China and North Korea block Starlink, Syria is not