The government cannot accept the so-called “one country, two systems” arrangement described by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) as Beijing’s solution to solving the “Taiwan problem,” Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said yesterday.
During a meeting with pro-unification groups from Taiwan led by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明) in Beijing yesterday morning, Xi said that “peaceful unification and the ‘one country, two systems’ policy are [China’s] basic guidelines for solving the ‘Taiwan problem.’”
It was the first time Xi discussed China’s “one country, two systems” framework with visitors from Taiwan since he took office in November 2012.
Photo: CNA
Xi emphasized that “unification” would be “an end to the political standoff, rather than about rebuilding territory or sovereignty.”
He also slammed the movement for Taiwanese independence.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators berated Xi’s remarks, saying that Hong Kong’s example shows that the proposed system is already a failure.
Photo: AFP
“What’s happening in Hong Kong now shows that ‘one country, two systems’ is a failure. Beijing should try to solve the problems in Hong Kong first, because its handling of the political situation in Hong Kong is a slap in its own face,” DPP caucus whip Tsai Chi-tsang (蔡其昌) said in the legislature.
“Before talking about ‘one country, two systems,’ Beijing had better ask how Hong Kongers feel about it first,” Tsai said.
DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said that he suspected that Xi was responding to Ma’s erroneously reported call for eventual “unification” under the German model.
The Presidential Office said on Thursday that a Chinese-language report by Deutsche Welle was a misrepresentation of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) interview with several European media outlets.
“The Chinese Communist Party [CCP] and the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] apparently give each other support to attract pro-
unification, pan-blue camp supporters,” Chen said. “But it is not going to succeed, as most Taiwanese would not buy it.”
Academia Sinica assistant research fellow Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), who is also one of the leaders of the Sunflower movement, called Xi’s remarks “ridiculous,” saying they are only suitable to “slaves wanting to gain favor with the CCP and should not be made public.”
“We understand that different people might have different interpretations of history, but China must not overlook the universal values of democracy and rule of law,” DPP spokesperson Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) said. “Taiwanese insist on making cross-strait exchanges only on the basis of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. The DPP insists that the future of Taiwan should be decided solely by its 23 million citizens.”
Jiang, responding to DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling’s (管碧玲) questions on the matter during a legislative question-and-answer session, said that the Republic of China (ROC), as a sovereign country, has never deemed the “one country, two systems” formula acceptable.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said the call for peaceful “unification” has long been the Chinese government’s directive, but it has drawn public attention this time because it was the first time since Xi took office that he mentioned it before Taiwanese visitors.
“Of course we do not agree with it,” Wang said. “We would reiterate our position [to the Chinese government] on an appropriate occasion.”
Kuan asked Jiang whether he agrees that the territory of the ROC is confined to Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.
Jiang rephrased the question by replacing “territory” with “effective rule.”
KMT Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) asked Jiang whether Xi was “expressing goodwill” and “recognizing our sovereignty and territory” when he said that “unification” would not be a reinstitution of sovereignty.
Wang said it would require further observation to determine whether the Chinese government is really “expressing goodwill.”
Presidential Office spokesperson Ma Wei-kuo (馬瑋國) told reporters that the ROC is a 103-year-old sovereign state, and both the government and the people would not accept the “one country, two systems” framework.
In related news, the Chinese-language China Times newspaper published a report before Xi met the group from Taiwan, citing a source as saying that Xi might “reveal a certain message during the meeting,” which, according to a Chinese academic, would probably be a decision on a meeting between Xi and Ma.
According to Xi’s speech released by Xinhua news agency, he did not mention such a meeting.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS