The DPP has endorsed the Ca-binet's proposed amendment to the main law governing cross-strait affairs that aim to facilitate direct-links initiatives with China, but it stressed that the proposal can only be implemented when the two sides enjoy equal sovereignty.
After the party's central committee meeting yesterday DPP Deputy Secretary-General Michael You (游盈隆) said that the party is mapping out plans to carry out the direct-links proposal under the condition that Taiwan would not be denigrated, marginalized or downgraded to a province of China.
"Our party agrees that the [direct transport links] can be executed after the two sides negotiate under the principle that national security, dignity and social order would be upheld," You said.
To that end, the party called on Beijing to normalize cross-strait relations by reciprocating Taiwan's goodwill
Last week the Cabinet proposed a major amendment to the Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) that would change the principles underlining the law from those of confrontation to normalization.
Twenty-six articles have been added to the statute since it became law in 1992. It has also been amended 29 times.
The DPP rebuffed the opposition camp's criticism that it is not sincere about trying to realize improved cross-strait relations and direct links. The party indicated it will try to negotiate over the proposed amendment with the opposition during this legislative session in the hope of getting the amendment reviewed soon.
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) recently told Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun that Taiwan will not accept China characterizing such direct transport routes as domestic ones because Beijing's intention is to downgrade Taiwan's status to that of a province of China.
RSS