Cross-strait disputes must be resolved peacefully: President Tsai
ROC Central News Agency
05/13/2023 08:28 PM
Taipei, May 13 (CNA) Disputes between Taiwan and China must be resolved peacefully, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told Taiwanese high school students on Saturday.
Tsai made the comment at an event in Taipei where hundreds of high school students from across the country presented their policy proposals and asked the president questions.
Without directly answering a question on whether Taiwan is capable of defending against a Chinese invasion, Tsai said instead "disputes across the Taiwan Strait must be resolved peacefully ... War is not an option."
Maintaining the stability of the Taiwan Strait is "not merely a cross-strait or regional issue, but a global one," Tsai said, adding that there is "consensus" on the issue among the international community.
"All parties" have the responsibility to maintain the "peaceful status" of the Taiwan Strait and prevent war, she went on, as any conflict between Taiwan and China would have an impact on the global economy and supply chains.
Saturday's event hosted by the Business Today magazine took place a week before Tsai's tenure enters its eighth and final year, amid increasingly strained cross-strait relations.
China has in recent years ramped up military pressure on Taiwan, including conducting large-scale military exercises around the island after Tsai met with United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in April and McCarthy's predecessor Nancy Pelosi last August.
Some U.S. and Taiwanese officials have also warned that China will have the capability to invade Taiwan by 2027, the year that marks the centennial of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, which has been rapidly modernizing its capabilities.
Meanwhile, Beijing maintains that it will try to achieve its goal of unifying Taiwan through peaceful means, although it has never renounced the use of force.
On the question of water shortages facing Central and Southern Taiwan in dry seasons, Tsai stressed that the government is seeking to expand water supply while urging the private sector to cut down on water consumption.
"[Adopting] progressive rates is an option worth considering" as part of efforts to incentivize businesses and individuals to use less water, Tsai said.
While the president did not give a definite answer, Vice Premier Tseng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) has been blunt on the subject, saying progressive rates are "inevitable."
Speaking with reporters on Saturday at a separate occasion, Cheng said issues related to water charges, including whether to raise bills and adopt progressive rates, are still being discussed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
(By Teng Pei-ju)
Enditem/AW
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