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Taiwan mulls new cross-Strait policy

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) minister Katharine Chang (張小月) told reporters on Dec. 19, that the council is working on a new cross-Strait policy to replace the “1992 consensus,” the Taipei Times reports.

Chang was speaking at an Internal Administration Committee meeting in Taipei, where People First Party legislator asked her to comment on remarks from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Taiwan Studies head Zhou Zhihuai (周志懷) that Beijing “does not oppose the idea of the 1992 consensus being substituted by a creative alternative.” Chang said that the council believed that a “mindset of seeking common ground, while maintaining differences” would be beneficial to cross-Strait relations.

Beijing suspended cross-Strait communications as President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) refuses to acknowledge the 1992 consensus, which states that both Taiwan and China admit there is “one China” but with separate definitions of “China.”

Read more about cross-Strait communication:

Radio Silence in the Taiwan Strait? Think Again

Chinese officials to face stricter regulations in Taiwan

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) is drafting new regulations to ensure Chinese officials visiting Taiwan meet with both “pan-green” and “pan-blue” local governments, the Taipei Times reports. The MAC hopes the measures will prevent Chinese officials from visiting Taiwan for political rather than economic purposes. Pan-green local governments tend to lean towards the views of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), while pan-blue governments are closer to the Kuomintang.

The heads of eight “pan-blue” local governments visited China to discuss tourism and agriculture in September, and a Chinese delegation visited those eight local governments in October. However, the Chinese delegation canceled scheduled visits to cities and counties governed by the DPP.

Read more about visiting Chinese delegations:

Spurned, Beijing Bypasses Taiwan’s Central Government

Taijimen members attempt forced entry into Presidential Office

Members of the “Taijimen Qigong Academy” tried to force their way into the Presidential Office at a rally to protest investigations into a 20-year-old tax case involving the group’s leader. About 5,000 Taijimen members rallied at Ketagalan Boulevard on Dec. 19, and four were arrested by police after they tried to enter the presidential compound.

The Taijimen Qigong Academy claims to be an international non-profit cultural organization, and the group was charged with tax evasion in 1997. The National Taxation Bureau reopened the case in May this year, which prompted the protest on Dec. 19.

Survey finds DPP politicians more likable

A survey released by the Taiwan Brain Trust found that politicians from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are more likable than those from the Kuomintang (KMT), CNA reports. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) topped the list with a 55 percent likability rating, while Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te (賴清德) came in second at 50 percent. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) had a likability rating of 41.9 percent, while President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was rated at 40.4 percent.

Chen also received the highest approval rating among the mayors of Taiwan’s six special municipalities, with a rating of 71.3 percent, while Taipei Mayor Ko received an approval rating of 39 percent.

Meanwhile, New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) was rated at 37 percent, and KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) received a likability rating of 22 percent.

The Taiwan Brain Trust polled 4,739 adults in Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung from Dec. 13-17, CNA reports.

New law to protect foreign fishery workers’ rights

The Act for Distant Water Fisheries will include regulations to better protect foreign fishery workers when it comes into force on Jan. 20, 2017, CNA reports. Responding to questions regarding the death of Indonesian fishery worker Supriyanto, the Fisheries Agency said the new law would allow the agency to establish rules managing local brokers and protect the welfare of foreign fishery workers.

Supriyanto died of septicemia aboard the Taiwanese fishing vessel “Futzuchun” in August 2015. He was hired by illegal brokers in Taiwan and Indonesia, and his family was tricked into signing an agreement to not pursue legal action after his death. The Control Yuan reopened the case on Dec. 19, CNA reports.

Fighter jet mishap confirmed

The Ministry of National Defense has confirmed a mishap involving two defense fighter jets during a tactical training mission on Aug. 19. Both jets were able to make emergency landings at the Ching Chuan Kang (清泉崗) air base in Taichung, central Taiwan, CNA reports. None of the pilots were injured and the damages sustained by the IDFs have since been repaired, the ministry said.

Another military mishap killed a fisherman in July, when a Taiwanese warship mistakenly launched a supersonic missile towards China. The misfire was attributed to the fatigue of the naval officer in charge of the equipment.

Editor: Edward White

ZiQing Low

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