In recent years the movement toward Taiwan's independence has gradually evolved into the preservation of the Republic of China (ROC). Taiwanese people have been fooled into believing that the ROC in Taiwan is a sovereign independent country.
After the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidential election in 2000, we believed the mission of Taiwan independence was achieved. Now, all we need to do is to change the name from the ROC to the Republic of Taiwan and adopt a new constitution.
But we must understand that no matter what name we use and what kind of constitution we adopt the international community still considers Taiwan to be a part of China. It considers Taiwan to be an island where a Chinese government (ROC), the loser of the Chinese civil war, resides. The global community will not change its views on Taiwan just because we have a new name and a new constitution.
Therefore, if the Taiwanese people want Taiwan to be a sovereign country, we need to tell the world that we want to build a nation that is independent of China (both the ROC and People's Republic of China) and is free of Chinese people. We must announce to the international community in writing that Taiwan wants to dissolve the political bands that have connected us to China -- by a declaration of independence.
This declaration will be akin to a written mission statement. In the statement we delineate the goal, the method and the reasons. We must explicitly express our desire to build a non-Chinese nation by declaring Taiwan's independence instead of just implicitly demonstrating it by our deeds.
As stated in the US Declaration of Independence: "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
The Taiwanese people also need to announce to the international community the reasons that Taiwan wants to dissolve the political ties which have connected it to China.
Assenting to the "self-evident truth" stated in the US declaration, "that all men are created equal, and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights -- among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," the people of Taiwan shall strenuously contend for the immediate dissolution of the political bands that have connected Taiwan and China.
Only through the declaration of Taiwan independence, will Taiwanese people's determination and dedication to build an independent country be heard and respected. The Taiwanese people owe themselves and the international community a declaration of Taiwan independence.
Cheng Wei-ming
United States
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