The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus has initiated a motion condemning China for conspiring to ram then-vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) vehicle during her visit to Prague.
Hsiao visited the Czech Republic on March 18 last year and reports have surfaced that Chinese agents had followed her and considered colliding with her vehicle, although it remained in the planning stage.
Czech Military Intelligence Director Petr Bartovsky told Czech Radio in a report last week that the agency found out that their Chinese counterparts attempted to create conditions to carry out an incident involving Hsiao, which “did not go beyond the preparation stage.”
Photo: CNA
DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) yesterday said that the DPP caucus’ proposed motion would state that China committed “international terrorism” and demand that China apologize for the incident.
China should cease all activities intended to harass, intimidate or inflict violence targeting Taiwanese officials and people across the world, she said.
The motion would call on legislators to show unity amid China’s campaign of intimidation and meddling by approving legal amendments that would shore up national security, Wu said.
It would state that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the region and the international community, has a right to conduct official visits to other nations without interference, she said.
Taiwan has made positive contributions to the global community and that has made it a welcome partner to many nations, she cited the proposed motion as saying.
Beijing’s provocative military activities and threats — aimed at disrupting Taiwan’s normal exchanges with foreign nations — hurt the feelings of Taiwanese, undermine peace and stability, and pose a challenge to the rules-based international order, the motion was cited as saying.
Lawmakers must take appropriate measures to speed up reforms to bolster the nation’s defense capabilities and national security laws necessary for countering Chinese espionage aimed at infiltrating Taiwan or stealing technology, she said, citing the proposal.
The motion would also call on legislators to facilitate the government’s efforts to develop security ties with like-minded nations to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region, she added.
Additional reporting by CNA
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
Organizing one national referendum and 26 recall elections targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators could cost NT$1.62 billion (US$55.38 million), the Central Election Commission said yesterday. The cost of each recall vote ranges from NT$16 million to NT$20 million, while that of a national referendum is NT$1.1 billion, the commission said. Based on the higher estimate of NT$20 million per recall vote, if all 26 confirmed recall votes against KMT legislators are taken into consideration, along with the national referendum on restarting the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, the total could be as much as NT$1.62 billion, it said. The commission previously announced
A firefighter yesterday died after falling into New Taipei City's Xindian River when a rescue dinghy capsized during a search mission for a man who was later found dead. The New Taipei City Fire Department said that it received a report at 4:12pm that a 50-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), had fallen into the river. A 32-year-old firefighter, surnamed Wu (吳), was among the rescuers deployed to look for Chen, the fire department said, adding that he and five other rescue personnel were in the dinghy when it capsized. Wu had no vital signs after being pulled from the water to the
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday welcomed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks that the organization’s cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners must be deepened to deter potential threats from China and Russia. Rutte on Wednesday in Berlin met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ahead of a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Germany’s accession to NATO. He told a post-meeting news conference that China is rapidly building up its armed forces, and the number of vessels in its navy outnumbers those of the US Navy. “They will have another 100 ships sailing by 2030. They now have 1,000 nuclear warheads,” Rutte said, adding that such