Many are surprised to see popular Taiwanese locations such as Sun Moon Lake and Cingshui Cliffs featured in the new Chinese passport issued this year. After prodding by lawmakers, the Mainland Affairs Council expressed its outrage today. 

On May 15 of this year, China’s new passport was issued. Each page in the passport contains watermark images of well-known tourist locations from each province. 

Many were surprised that Taiwanese sites were included, such as Sun Moon Lake and the east coast’s Cingshui Cliffs. A brief description said: “Taiwan Province is well known for its mountains and ocean scenery.” The wording made clear that Taiwan is a part of China.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs first response was asking the Mainland Affairs Council to comment on the matter. In the morning, the MAC had no immediate response. But the Philippines and Vietnam did. They were angry over the inclusion of disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Philippines Foreign Ministry
The Philippines does not accept the validity of the nine dash lines that amount to an excessive declaration of maritime space in violation of international law. 

Lawmakers blasted the government for appearing weak. In the afternoon the Presidential Office finally issued a press release, criticizing China's action as "improper.” The president called upon the Mainland Affairs Council to issue a protest.

Liu Te-shun 
MAC Spokesman 
This has hurt Taiwan peoples trust in cross-strait affairs. The government of the Republic of China absolutely cannot accept this. We formally issued a solemn protest. We also expressed our position and views through related bilateral channels. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the images were not country-specific. She said Chinese officials were actively communicating with countries that took offense to these passport images.


中國今年換發新式護照,但是內頁的浮水印上,竟然有台灣日月潭跟清水斷崖的圖案,中國官方解釋,這是「我國台灣省的山水名勝」,但我國對外單位毫無作為,外交部指稱這是陸委會的事,陸委會則是在朝野立委砲轟下,終於在下午召開簡短記者會,表示抗議。

中國今年5月15號開始,全面換發新式晶片護照,內頁把各省份知名景點作浮水印設計,其中竟然看到台灣日月潭的圖樣,中國官方解釋這是「我國台灣省名聞遐邇的山水佳勝」,就連東部清水斷崖也在裡面。

外交部的第一反應表示, 應由陸委會發言;而陸委會在上午都沒有回應,相較之下,菲律賓和越南兩國,對於中國也把爭議的南海小島,畫入護照當中,反應相當激烈!

[[菲律賓外交部官員]] 
“菲律賓不接受中國侵犯U型線,這是菲律賓的領海區域,並且違反國際法”

這讓朝野立委砲轟政府對外太軟弱,而總統府總算在下午發新聞稿,認為中國的做法「不當」,總統要求陸委會發表嚴正聲明。

[[陸委會發言人 劉德勳]]
“傷害我們台灣人民對兩岸事務的信賴,因此中華民國政府絕對沒辦法接受,我們正式發表了嚴正聲明的立場,二方面我們透過相關管道,表達政府應該有的立場跟意見”

中國外交部發言人華春瑩表示, 護照上輪廓圖案並非針對特定的國家, 中方願與有關國家積極溝通。



文章出處 :民視英語新聞

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