DPP defends Chen's remark

As President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) remark on Taiwan and China that "each side is one country" came under fierce opposition-party attack, DPP officials yesterday said the government's cross-strait policy remains unchanged and that the remark was entirely in line with the party's 1999 resolution on Taiwan's future.

"President Chen's comment was only to clarify and reiterate that Taiwan is not one of China's provinces and will accept neither the `one country, two-systems' formula, or the `one-China'" policy, said Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), secretary-general to the president.

"But Chen administration policies for establishing direct links are not changing, and won't change."

Chen added that, "President Chen's recent tough remarks on cross-strait relations were intended to promote consensus within Taiwan on the issue, especially since the opposition and the ruling party have failed to reach such a consensus."

The DPP's 1999 resolution on the nation's future declares that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state whose name is the "Republic of China," and that any changes in its status must be collectively determined by all people in Taiwan through a public referendum.

The DPP's Chinese Affairs Department held a press conference yesterday evening, in which its director, Chen Chung-hsin (陳忠信), echoed Chen Shih-meng's reaction, saying "President Chen was just talking about reality. Only Taiwanese are entitled to decide on changes affecting Taiwan's future. No external force may do so."

He said, "Our willingness to talk to China has never changed," but he added -- without elaborating -- "President Chen's remark is different from former President Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝)`state-to-state' dictum."

DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄), meanwhile, also issued a press release, emphasizing that the remark is not in conflict with the "Five No's" policy, which President Chen announced in his inaugural speech two years ago.

The "Five No's" policy is: no declaration of independence; no changing of the name of the nation; no change of the Constitution to include the so-called "state-to-state" model of cross-strait relations; no promotion of a referendum to change the status quo regarding the question of independence or unification and no abolition of the National Reunification Council or the National Reunification Guidelines.

"Citizens are entitled by the Constitution to hold a referendum, which doesn't conflict what President Chen's "Five No's" policy," Chang said in his press release.

Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), meanwhile, also appealed to the public to defend President Chen's remark, saying, "We should not criticize President Chen by adopting the Beijing government's perspective.

"Only when Beijing renounces the use of force against Taiwan will there be a future for cross-straits relations," Lu said.