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The acolytes of Chiang should leave the country

The Republic of China (ROC) was a militarily defeated government that fled from China to Taiwan and was primarily composed of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members, most of whom are still loyal to dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and his son Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) and still don't recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan.

Although the the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in 2000, it only changed the executive branch, not the main legislative body.

Whether in government or in society in general, Chiang loyalists still wield considerable influence in government agencies and enjoy substantial public support. This is why the KMT holds both a majority of seats in the legislature and a majority of county commissioner and city mayorships.

The extent to which the KMT has taken advantage of its legislative majority to block the DPP administration in recent years has resulted in political unrest.

Other actions by KMT members that should worry Taiwanese include former KMT chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) proposal that the party cooperate with China in resisting Taiwanese independence, senior officials' visits to China and KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) talk of "eventual unification" and his aggressive promotion of direct cross-strait links.

When the DPP proposed a national referendum on seeking UN membership using the name "Taiwan," the KMT recognized that it could not defy public opinion and therefore proposed a referendum on "returning" to the UN under the title "Republic of China" or any other practical title. One doesn't have to be an expert to understand that the KMT's referendum proposal is an empty gesture that has no chance of success. It is simply intended to obstruct the nation's UN bid.

Resolution 2758 expelled Chiang Kai-shek's representatives from the place they unlawfully occupied at the UN and related organizations. Chiang loyalists have never accepted that these representatives were not Taiwanese and try to thwart Taiwanese independence at every turn. If these Chiang loyalists were to leave Taiwan and go where they really want to be, the nation would be better off, the road to independence would be smoother and the UN bid would succeed.

We should therefore try to write a "Taiwanese Resolution 2758" to express abomination at Chiang's followers: "The General Assembly, recalling the principles of the UN Charter, considering that the restoration of the lawful rights of Taiwan is essential for the protection of the Taiwanese Constitution, recognizing that the representatives of the Government of Taiwan are the only lawful representatives of Taiwan to the UN and that Taiwan belongs to the people of Taiwan, decides to restore all its rights to Taiwan and to recognize the representatives of its government as the only legitimate representatives of Taiwan to the UN, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy in Taiwan and in all the organizations related to it."

During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese government once allowed the Qing subjects in Taiwan two years to decide whether to leave or stay in Taiwan. Article 5 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki stipulated that those who decided to stay would automatically obtain Japanese citizenship, while those who chose to leave could sell their property tax free.

Since Chiang loyalists don't recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan and feel uncomfortable when hearing the name "Taiwan," our government should aid them in selling their possessions tax free and help them leave.

Kuo Cheng-deng is a member of the Northern Taiwan Society.

Translated by Ted Yang
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