SAFEGUARDING VALUES:The president made public a letter vowing to fight Chinese oppression, while striving to establish healthy and normal economic ties with Beijing
Taipei Times
Date: Oct 01, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
Beijing’s continued suppression of Taiwan’s international space is a “lose-lose” — and not a “win-win” —
Premier Lin Chuan, left, and Mainland Affairs Council Minister Katharine Chang yesterday answer legislators’ questions at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
strategy, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said yesterday, in response to a report that the Irish government has advised its ministers not to attend celebrations marking Taiwan’s National Day to avoid provoking China.
The Irish Times reported on Thursday said that the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade “has issued strong advice to ministers to resist all invitations to mark the occasion.”
According to the newspaper, the department said in an e-mail that the attendance of Irish ministers would be contrary to the government’s policy, and that “meetings between Irish and Taiwan public representatives are perceived in China as implicit recognition of the government of Taiwan and thus breach the ‘one China’ policy, which has been adhered to by successive Irish governments.”
When asked about the report, Lin said such obstruction is “not a good move,” adding, without referring to whom, “boycotting Taiwan would result in a lose-lose, rather than a win-win, situation.” [FULL STORY]
