|
US representative’s
planned no-show angers DPP leader
Staff writer, with CNA
Democratic Progressive Party
Legislator Chiu Yi-ying speaks at a press conference in Taipei yesterday. She
expressed anger at Representative to the US King Pu-tsung’s decision not to
attend a legislative Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting
scheduled for Monday.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator
Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) yesterday expressed anger regarding the nation’s
Representative to the US King Pu-tsung’s (金溥聰) decision not to attend a meeting
of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, saying that
the envoy did not take the legislature seriously.
Chiu made the remarks at a press conference after the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs earlier in the day said that King would not return to Taiwan to attend
the legislative committee hearing as requested by lawmakers.
Chiu, a convener of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense
Committee, had requested that King report on Taiwan-US relations at a hearing
scheduled for Monday.
King, who returned to Washington earlier this week, has a tight schedule, as he
oversees many Taiwan-US projects and communications with the US on related
matters, ministry spokeswoman Anna Kao (高安) said.
Kao said the ministry informed the committee that King would not be able to
attend the hearing as requested, because he has to stay in Washington to deal
with important issues pertaining to bilateral ties.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) said King made a trip home earlier
this month to deal with a “special” Taiwan-US project that has been in place for
years and covers trade and other issues.
Chiu said King’s decision not to attend the session amounted to a contempt of
the legislature, adding that it was an “unacceptable” set of circumstances.
Chiu said that she had given King plenty of time to fit the hearing into his
schedule and she had informed him as early as Dec. 2 about the plans for the
committee meeting.
Chiu said that she would not rule out freezing the ministry’s budgets if King
does not attend the legislative committee hearing as requested.
|
