Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) caused a stir the other day by saying something that to many people is blindingly obvious — Taiwan needs a new constitution.
What was of particular note about this news was not that Lee called for the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution to be scrapped, but that so few other politicians or former national leaders voiced support for his proposal.
Not even former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was able to successfully challenge the vaunted piece of fantasy that is the ROC Constitution.
It is beyond comprehension that the 19th-biggest economy in the world lives under a Constitution that nobody, not even the people who enforce it — with the possible exception of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) — believes to be a legitimate representation of reality.
The ROC Constitution, which was adopted by the National Assembly on Dec. 25, 1946, and went into effect one year later, was originally intended to apply to all of China. Today it is de facto law for only Taiwan and a few small islands, but continues to claim sovereignty over all of China, Tibet and Mongolia, not to mention parts of Russia that not even the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims.
That Taiwan still uses this Constitution is the biggest roadblock to the nation ever becoming independent. The only countries that do recognize Taiwan’s independence are islands in the Pacific Ocean, a handful of countries in Africa and South American nations.
Why is it that only Lee, a retired statesman, is willing to call a spade a spade?
The ROC stands for the Republic of China, not Taiwan, and until politicians face this fact, Taiwanese will never be able to independently decide their own fate.
Taiwan being a democracy is irrelevant if the Constitution claims authority over China, Tibet and Mongolia — if a real representative referendum were held on Taiwan’s independence, how would the Chinese vote?
The main reason for not scrapping the Constitution is a practical one — avoiding war with China. The bottom line for the PRC is that the ROC never declares independence, and as long as Taiwan retains its current Constitution, it is doing just what China wants. However, Taiwan will never be an independent nation if this piece of legal fantasy remains in force.
If an elected government were to revoke the ROC Constitution or rewrite it in a way that defined Taiwan as an independent country, separate and equal to the PRC, the People’s Liberation Army would attack.
To turn Taiwan into an independent nation, it is an absolute prerequisite that the ROC Constitution be scrapped, but one that brings with it major risks.
The most likely scenario if this were to be done would be a war with China, and few politicians, not even those from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, are ready to face that challenge.
Until that is done, Taiwan will continue to be just part of China, as defined by the ROC Constitution.
Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on May 13, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that democracies must remain united and that “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism.” Earlier that day, Tsai had met with a group of Danish parliamentarians led by Danish Parliament Speaker Pia Kjaersgaard, who has visited Taiwan many times, most recently in November last year, when she met with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office. Kjaersgaard had told Lai: “I can assure you that ... you can count on us. You can count on our support
Denmark has consistently defended Greenland in light of US President Donald Trump’s interests and has provided unwavering support to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Denmark can be proud of its clear support for peoples’ democratic right to determine their own future. However, this democratic ideal completely falls apart when it comes to Taiwan — and it raises important questions about Denmark’s commitment to supporting democracies. Taiwan lives under daily military threats from China, which seeks to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary — an annexation that only a very small minority in Taiwan supports. Denmark has given China a
Many local news media over the past week have reported on Internet personality Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) first visit to China between Tuesday last week and yesterday, as remarks he made during a live stream have sparked wide discussions and strong criticism across the Taiwan Strait. Chen, better known as Kuan Chang (館長), is a former gang member turned fitness celebrity and businessman. He is known for his live streams, which are full of foul-mouthed and hypermasculine commentary. He had previously spoken out against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and criticized Taiwanese who “enjoy the freedom in Taiwan, but want China’s money”
Last month, two major diplomatic events unfolded in Southeast Asia that suggested subtle shifts in the region’s strategic landscape. The 46th ASEAN Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-Gulf-Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Trilateral Summit in Kuala Lumpur coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron’s high-profile visits to Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore. Together, they highlighted ASEAN’s maturing global posture, deepening regional integration and China’s intensifying efforts to recalibrate its economic diplomacy amid uncertainties posed by the US. The ASEAN summit took place amid rising protectionist policies from the US, notably sweeping tariffs on goods from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, with duties as high as 49 percent.
RSS