A pro-independence group yesterday urged President Chen Shui-bian (
The Taiwan Society made the call yesterday following the Referendum Review Committee's decision on Friday to reject the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) request to hold a referendum on whether to apply for UN membership under the name "Taiwan."
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun filed the proposal with the Central Election Commission (CEC) on May 21. The CEC did a primary review and evaluation of the proposal and then submitted it to the Cabinet's Referendum Review Committee for final authorization.
The opposition-controlled committee rejected the DPP-sponsored initiative 12-8 on Friday, with some committee members arguing that such a referendum was unnecessary as pushing for the country's inclusion in the UN is already government policy.
Seven committee members immediately tendered their resignations following the announcement of the decision on Friday afternoon.
To counter the committee decision, Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒), vice chairman of the Taiwan Society, yesterday proposed that Chen mount a "defensive referendum" on the UN bid if the DPP loses its appeal with the Cabinet's Appeal Committee.
Yu said on Friday that the DPP would lodge an appeal this week against the committee's decision.
Article 17 of the Referendum Law (
Such a proposal would not need to obtain the committee's approval, but it would need the approval of the Executive Yuan.
At the press conference, members of several civic groups, including the Taiwan Society, the Northern Taiwan Society and the Taiwan United Nations Alliance, also accused the committee of defying public opinion over its rejection of the DPP's proposed referendum.
Calling the committee "unconstitutional," Chin called on the DPP administration to request a constitutional interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices to rule on the legality of the committee.
Chin said any UN bid would be doomed if the country used the name the"Republic of China" (ROC) because the People's Republic of China became the representative of China at the UN in 1971 when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime was "kicked out" of the organization.
Convenor of the society's law and politics department Chen Yi-shen (
As the DPP has vowed to appeal, Chen Yi-shen said that if it wins, and two referendims are held, it would be interesting to see whether the public would support the DPP's referendum or the KMT's.
However, he questioned what good the DPP's proposal would do for the country even if it won public support because the country's name in the Constitution is still the ROC, he said.
Janice Chen (
"They could have voted no in the referendum if they were against using the name Taiwan to join the UN," she said. "If they were against the referendum itself, I'd be very curious to know whether they will refuse the KMT's proposal."
public opinion
As 61 percent of the population were in favor of holding a referendum to decide the country's name, she urged the president and the Cabinet to seriously consider holding a referendum on the country's name.
Yosoh Kure (吳煜宗), deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Society, said the Referendum Review Committee was unconstitutional and its decision indicated that the country's rule of law would enter a dark age if the KMT were to win the presidential election.
The KMT should be dissolved because of the number of illegal and unconstitutional actions in had taken Yosoh said. These had put the country's freedom, democracy and constitutional order at risk, he added.
In Taipei yesterday, President Chen said he was not disappointed at the committee's decision because he had faith in the referendum itself.
`stolen assets'
"This is just the beginning," he said, adding that another DPP referendum proposal about recovering the KMT's stolen assets was initially rejected by the review committee before eventually succeeding on appeal.
It was important that the public supported the campaign to join the UN under the name "Taiwan" because Taiwan is a country and the name of the land, he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in