AGAINST THE TREND:Lin Join-sane invoked the DPP’s wrath by saying China assured him maps showing Taiwan as its territory were just ‘trendy’
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said that it was “furious and shocked” to learn of remarks Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Lin Join-sane (林中森) had made about China’s controversial passports and demanded Lin step down for his inappropriate comments.
Lin on Monday said he had expressed Taiwan’s concerns on the passports, which show areas Beijing has no jurisdiction over — including Taiwan — as part of China’s territory, in his recent meeting with Beijing officials in China.
Lin said the Chinese officials had told him that there are two editions of the passports and that the new ones were not official and the changes had been made based on style considerations with the aim of “being trendy” and “without any [other] particular motive in mind.”
“We are furious, shocked and bewildered about [Lin Join-sane’s] remarks. When Vietnam, India and the Philippines all reacted to Beijing’s infringing on their territorial sovereignty, Lin Join-sane told us the passport design was just a matter of China seeking to be ‘trendy,’” DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) told reporters.
“Given Lin’s lack of experience and expertise in cross-strait affairs and negotiation, he is not equipped to defend Taiwan’s dignity and sovereignty and should step down from his post,” the spokesman added.
The party also expressed its disappointment over President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) remarks in a radio interview on Monday, in which he said that this year’s increases in fuel and electricity prices were the result of a recommendation made the state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower).
“Ma was the one who ignored suggestions of the opposition and academics and unilaterally made the decision to raise the price at the time, but now he’s trying to hold Taipower responsible for his decision,” Lin Chun-hsien said.
The DPP was disappointed with the president, who has always appeared to maintain an attitude of “it’s everyone’s fault but mine” and made himself out to be someone who could do no wrong, Lin Chun-hsien said.