A controversial proposal to reform the DPP's independence platform was swept back quietly under the carpet yesterday by the party's Central Executive Committee, which sent it to the policy research department for further review.
"We need more discussion and research before we make any substantive moves," said Yu Shyi-kun, DPP secretary general.
The DPP said it was not dropping the issue, but merely following party procedures. According to the terms of those procedures, such an amendment can only be approved by a vote of representatives at the party's National Party Congress.
The National Party Congress is set to meet in June or July.
On Tuesday, Chen Chao-nan (陳昭南) proposed changes to the DPP's independence guidelines as outlined in the party's charter, suggesting they should be regarded as a "historical document" and that the phrase "establishing the Republic of Taiwan" should be deleted.
Chen's proposal argued that Taiwan's sovereignty has already been achieved because of democratic developments, under which Taiwanese can now freely elect their president and have established a democratic legislature.
Party Chairman Lin I-hsiung (
Over the past few years DPP leaders have attempted to show their platform policy expresses the right to independence, but that such a choice would only be exercised after a referendum.
"It's time to give our voters a new perspective of the DPP," Lin said, "especially since the independence platform has become a weakness for the DPP, forcing our candidates onto the defensive in elections."
Party faction leaders expressed different opinions on Chen's proposal, saying it was not the proper time to start a debate on the subject.
Lin Chuo-shui
While the proposal is seen as a move to help pave the way for a visit by President-elect Chen Shui-bian (
"If it's passed it will not change the DPP's stance and risks further upsetting Beijing," Lin said. "If announced it will be like restating the DPP's stance."
Shen Fu-hsiung (
"Now that the KMT is falling apart and the DPP has won the presidential election, the DPP has no reason to create internal party divisions," Shen said.
During meetings to discuss which DPP member would be chosen to run for president last February, the independence topic came up and was heatedly debated. During the debate Shen and Lin clashed several times over the issue.
During the party's National Congress in March of last year, representatives decided not to amend the platform.
Representatives were opposed to changing the party's founding principles because of the opinion of a few individuals, or for other special reasons.
Core Taiwan independence supporters took their objections to DPP chairman Lin yesterday, telling him that the independence platform was the only weapon President-elect Chen had to fight against Beijing's "one China" policy.
"If we go and change the DPP's independence platform before China has said anything about it, it is like surrendering ourselves and dropping our weapons," said Ng Chiau-tong
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee yesterday approved proposed amendments to the Amusement Tax Act (娛樂稅法) that would abolish taxes on films, cultural activities and competitive sporting events, retaining the fee only for dance halls and golf courses. The proposed changes would set the maximum tax rate for dance halls and golf courses at 50 and 20 percent respectively, with local governments authorized to suspend the levies. Article 2 of the act says that “amusement tax shall be levied on tickets sold or fees charged by amusement places, facilities or activities” in six categories: “Cinema; professional singing, story-telling, dancing, circus, magic show, acrobatics
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
INFLATION UP? The IMF said CPI would increase to 1.5 percent this year, while the DGBAS projected it would rise to 1.68 percent, with GDP per capita of US$44,181 The IMF projected Taiwan’s real GDP would grow 5.2 percent this year, up from its 2.1 percent outlook in January, despite fears of global economic disruptions sparked by the US-Iran conflict. Taiwan’s consumer price index (CPI) is projected to increase to 1.5 percent, while unemployment would be 3.4 percent, roughly in line with estimates for Asia as a whole, the international body wrote in its Global Economic Outlook Report published in the US on Monday. The figures are comparatively better than the IMF outlook for the rest of the world, which pegged real GDP growth at 3.1 percent, down from 3.3 percent
RSS