Taiwan should help its arch-rival China to pursue "one country, one system" rather than what it now has, which is "one country, two systems," Premier Frank Hsieh (
"Promoting unification with China is an impossible and impractical political fantasy," Hsieh said. "A more sensible approach would be to help China become a more democratic society."
It is unfair, Hsieh said, to apply two different systems to Chinese people because it seems as though some must be reconciled to a life that is less free, while some live a comparatively freer life.
"Chinese people, after all, are people like you and I," he said. "I don't think two different political systems will bring stability."
According to Hsieh, "One country, one system" means everybody is free: Free to have their own opinions, free to hold religious belief, free to elect their political representatives and free to make a decent living in whatever way they choose.
If China becomes freer and democratic and less hostile toward Taiwan, Hsieh said, cross-strait problems can be resolved.
"It sounds more realistic to join efforts with China to combat crimes such as human trafficking, because that, I think, is what the people sincerely want governments to do," he said.
He also called on politicians and the public to stop raising resentment among Mainlanders and stop inflaming patriotism among the people of Taiwan.
Regarding China's proposed "anti-secession law," Hsieh said that he is certain that the US government realizes how the people of Taiwan feel about the planned legislation and it has on various occasions publicly questioned the necessity of enacting such a law.
"China may or may not proceed with this," he said.
"They may eventually enact it but in a significantly modified form. If that's the case, it's worth observing whether it does so simply to save face," he said.
Defining his Cabinet team as promoting "negotiation" and "stability," Hsieh reiterated the importance of "negotiation" with opposition parties, especially when pushing contentious bills.
"My stance on controversial bills is clear: negotiate, negotiate, negotiate," he said. "We have no need to send contentious bills to the legislature merely because we want to appease our supporters."
Hsieh said that the government may be able to garner more support for such bills during future conciliation and negotiating.
"The key lies in patience, perseverance and commitment in the long term," he said.
Also see stories:
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique