Members of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP) yesterday accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) of trying to nullify security laws and undermine national sovereignty in the legislature after returning from China.
Fu led 16 KMT lawmakers and a number of party officials on a visit to China earlier this week, and soon after returning has been vigorous in his efforts to amend the Anti-Infiltration Act (反滲透法) and other national security laws, TSP secretary-general Wu Hsin-tai (吳欣岱) told a news conference in Taipei.
People are seeing KMT lawmakers colluding with China to subvert Taiwan’s sovereignty by planning to nullify punishments, Wu said, also accusing Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) lawmakers of collaborating with the KMT to diminish the public’s will to fight for Taiwan.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
“We have these so-called opposition parties sitting in the legislature who are willing collaborators for China, so who needs an enemy?” Wu said, demanding that DPP legislators stand firm.
TSP Kaohsiung City Councilor Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said that China has been bullying Taiwan for decades, now with constant military intimidation.
“But Fu sees none of that and instead loves going to China, always speaking of the need to depend on the Chinese market for Taiwan to have economic prosperity,” Chang said. “Decoupling links to China has become a common trend among democratic nations, but Fu and other KMT members want to do the reverse.”
However, Beijing officials belittled Fu and his delegation, as they offered very little in return for their visit and did not open up and allow Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan as Fu had hoped for, Chang added.
Separately yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) responded to Fu on Wednesday pressuring other lawmakers to change the word “China” to “mainland” and “nation” to “Taiwan” in legislation.
“I think this action is not necessary, and Taiwanese would find it quite unbelievable,” he told a hearing at the legislature. “Official government papers have long had a tradition of finding an appropriate way when addressing the country across the Taiwan Strait, therefore I think everyone should respect such tradition.”
Meanwhile, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said he sees no need to change the terminology.
“In the past, people have used various terms when at different events; some spoke of China, others of the mainland,” he said. “It is still what people use during those occasions, but it points out that across the Taiwan Strait are two separate political entities.”
DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) castigated Fu’s trip as groveling to Chinese leaders and taking instructions.
“Fu’s actions speak volumes,” she said.
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung and Taoyuan would issue a decision at 8pm on whether to cancel work and school tomorrow due to forecasted heavy rain, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said today. Hsieh told reporters that absent some pressing reason, the four northern cities would announce the decision jointly at 8pm. Keelung is expected to receive between 300mm and 490mm of rain in the period from 2pm today through 2pm tomorrow, Central Weather Administration data showed. Keelung City Government regulations stipulate that school and work can be canceled if rain totals in mountainous or low-elevation areas are forecast to exceed 350mm in
China Airlines Ltd (CAL) yesterday morning joined SkyTeam’s Aviation Challenge for the fourth time, operating a demonstration flight for “net zero carbon emissions” from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Bangkok. The flight used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a ratio of up to 40 percent, the highest proportion CAL has achieved to date, the nation’s largest carrier said. Since April, SAF has become available to Taiwanese international carriers at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), Kaohsiung International Airport and Taoyuan airport. In previous challenges, CAL operated “net zero carbon emission flights” to Singapore and Japan. At a ceremony at Taoyuan airport, China Airlines chief sustainability
RSS