There have recently been reports of a new discourse within the pan-green camp, which might be termed the "three-part theory of the Republic of China (ROC)."
It runs as follows: First, that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent state; second, that sovereignty is vested in the people of Taiwan; and third, that any decision about Taiwan's future can only be made by the people of Taiwan.
There are various signs that this theory will become the dominant note in the government's future policymaking.
If we give close scrutiny to this theory and its logic, we see that although the theory has a superficial cohesion, the logic is actually full of holes -- and it could easily serve as a tool with which Beijing could attack Taiwan.
Everyone knows that in the last few years the pan-blue and pan-green camps have been arguing over the merits of "one China," and how each side can have its own interpretation.
But ultimately, given the difference in size between China and Taiwan, whenever "China" is mentioned, it will be regarded by the international community as a discussion about the People's Republic of China (PRC).
This has a very negative impact on recognition of Taiwan's sovereignty and its continued existence.
The Constitution of the ROC was signed in 1947 in Nanking.
It encompassed a territory that included all of China, as well as the territories of Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang.
If, prior to entering into substantive dialogue with China, we in Taiwan push ahead with the "three-part theory of the Republic of China," this could easily allow China to catch us in a net of our own making.
They would argue in the following manner.
First they would agree that the ROC is indeed a sovereign entity and that Taiwan is part of the ROC under the current Constitution.
Then Beijing would go on to agree that sovereignty is vested in Taiwan's 23 million people.
But Beijing would add that it is also vested in China's 1.3 billion people, as the Constitution of the ROC includes the territory where they live.
It would then add that UN Resolution 2758, made in 1971, indicated that the PRC superceded the ROC, and that, therefore, the ROC was now a part of the PRC, that the Taiwan issue is a domestic issue of the PRC, and that the future of Taiwan should be decided by the people of the PRC.
There is another risk if the government continues to praise the merits of this new ideological formulation, despite the infinite danger it presents of allowing Beijing to achieve its ultimate goal of realizing "one China."
Praising the formulation will fan the flames of "China fever" in Taiwan and give legitimacy to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (
In other words, this "three-part theory of the Republic of China" is nothing more or less than an indirect route to accepting "one China."
I believe that we must avoid letting the "three-part theory of the Republic of China" become the basis of our policymaking at all costs, and must not make any related policy announcement in the National Security Strategy Report.
If we do, we will be throwing ourselves to the wolves.
The Taiwan issue will then be played out according to China's rules and Taiwan's security will be hopelessly compromised.
Huang Tien-lin is National Policy Adviser to the president.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew
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