The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is setting political thresholds that would hinder, if not make impossible, efforts by incoming president William Lai’s (賴清德) administration to initiate dialogue with China, experts said yesterday.
Citing comments by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華), Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said that the CCP was asking the impossible by demanding that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) set aside its Taiwanese independence stance.
Commenting on Lai’s inaugural address on Monday next week, Chen said that any Taiwanese party willing to recognize Beijing’s “one China” principle would face “no difficulties” when interacting with the CCP, adding that cross-strait dialogue is only possible if the DPP abandons its Taiwanese independence stance.
Photo: Screengrab from the Internet
Taiwanese independence cannot coexist with cross-strait peace, Chen said, adding that Beijing is adamant that Taiwan observe the “one China” principle and the so-called “1992 consensus” to promote peaceful cross-strait relations with the ultimate aim of unification.
The so-called “1992 consensus” — a term that former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the CCP that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Wu said that the CCP’s demands were tailored to make it difficult for the DPP, and that China could very well demand that the KMT give up its claims that the Republic of China (ROC) is a sovereign state.
After all, the CCP considers the ROC defunct and its existence creates the “two Chinas” issue, he said.
Lai would never accept the “one China” principle, and his inaugural address would clarify how Taiwan would approach cross-strait relations based on Taiwanese sovereignty and the sovereignty of the ROC, he said.
Lai has also made it clear that any interaction with China would be based on the understanding that the nations are on equal footing, he added.
China’s actions over the past few years have left no room for the ROC’s interpretation of “one China” and that it willfully ignores Taiwan’s stance, Wu said.
If China insists on placing prerequisites on cross-strait dialogue, it is to blame for undermining cross-strait relations, he said.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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