Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chair candidate Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) today said he would call on Beijing to acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China (ROC) and declare it would not use force if Taiwan does not declare independence.
Hau, former Taipei mayor, held a press conference today on cross-strait policy, announcing how he would lead the KMT’s approach to cross-strait relations.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Hau called for an internal party debate on cross-strait policy, establishing KMT offices in Beijing and Shanghai, expanding the Twin City Forum involving Taipei and Shanghai into a cross-strait forum and ensuring that the party’s policy adheres to the ROC’s constitution.
Good cross-strait relations require effort from both sides, Hau said.
Currently, the biggest obstacle to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is China’s repeated military drills and continuous air and naval incursions around Taiwan, he said.
If he is elected KMT chair, he would call on China to declare that it would not use force against Taiwan as long as Taiwan does not seek independence, Hau said.
Hau did not elaborate on how he would ensure China’s commitment to this “no independence, no force” agreement, but emphasized that in his talks with Chinese leaders, he speaks sincerely about promoting cross-strait exchanges and peace, rather than simply flattering them.
Hau said he would reorient the KMT’s cross-strait policies to align with the ROC Constitution, which interprets the cross-strait relationship as the relationship between ROC in Taiwan and ROC in the mainland region, rather than two separate nations.
Hau said the constitution is Taiwan’s best protection and legal connection between the two sides of the strait, criticizing President William Lai’s (賴清德) erroneous presentation of cross-strait relations and the relationship between Taiwan and the ROC.
He said that Beijing must acknowledge the reality of the ROC’s current existence. If not, the “most natural and reasonable” legal link between the two sides of the strait will dwindle.
The people of Taiwan can only feel protected if the ROC is acknowledged and respected, and only then can they rationally work towards goals beneficial to people on both sides of the Strait, while continuing to preserve their democratic way of life, he said.
Hau emphasized that the “one China” referenced in the “1992 consensus” refers to the ROC.
The “1992 consensus” is a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000. It refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese government that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
If China wishes for cross-strait exchanges based on the “1992 consensus,” it must first respect the ROC’s existence, Hau said.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS