The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) put Taiwan in danger, Ma Ying-jeou Foundation director Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said yesterday, hours after the de facto US embassy said that Beijing had misinterpreted World War II-era documents to isolate Taiwan.
The AIT’s comments harmed the Republic of China’s (ROC) national interests and contradicted a part of the “six assurances” stipulating that the US would not change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty, Hsiao said.
The “six assurances,” which were given by then-US president Ronald Reagan to Taiwan in 1982, say that Washington would not set a date for ending arm sales to Taiwan, consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan, mediate between either side, revise the Taiwan Relations Act, change its official position on Taiwan’s sovereignty or pressure Taiwan to negotiate the issues with China.
Photo: Taipei Times
AIT officials appointed by the administration of former US president Joe Biden are inappropriately continuing the “cliches” of the previous administration and “manipulating” UN Resolution 2758, Hsiao said, asking AIT Director Raymond Greene whether he solicited US President Donald Trump’s opinion before making the remarks, or what Trump would think about his “reckless actions” that increase cross-strait tensions.
It does not seem to be Trump’s intention for Biden-appointed officials to continue the previous administration’s policies of manipulating Taiwan’s legal status, or acting in ways contrary to the interests and security of Taiwanese, he said.
If the AIT continues to backslide into the stance that Taiwan has an indeterminate legal status, the US would be changing the “six assurances” in a way that could undermine the already fraught cross-strait relationship, he said.
Reliance on the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco by those who advocate Taiwanese independence to justify claims that Taiwan has an indeterminate legal status is contrary to the Constitution and the historical fact that Japan returned Taiwan proper, as well as the Kinmen and Penghu archipelagos to the Republic of China, he said.
The 1943 Cairo Declaration, the 1945 Potsdam Declaration and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender are legally binding documents in the eyes of international law, Hsiao said, adding that the legal effect of the documents have never been questioned by the parties named in them.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
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