Lee's remarks no problem: DPP

In response to a remark by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) that "the Republic of China does not exist anymore," DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) yesterday said the former president's remarks reflected his personal long-term political and historical perspectives and that it wouldn't cause a problem for the DPP.

The former president said last Saturday that "the ROC does not exist anymore, but some politicians just don't realize it" while participating in a campaign activity to change the country's name from ROC to Taiwan.

Lee Ying-yuan yesterday said the former president's remarks reflected his long-term perspectives and beliefs over his past 12 years as the nation's president.

"That represented Lee's perspective: The historical responsibility and an insistence on promoting Taiwan's separate identity from mainland China," Lee Ying-yuan said.

He explained that the former president "would only say so because he's worried about whether Taiwan could shape its own national identity."

Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), deputy director of the DPP's department of information and culture, said yesterday the former president's comment was a "unique interpretation" which wouldn't cause any problems for the DPP.

"The bottom line for the DPP's stance on the cross-Strait relations is still the principle of one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait," Cheng said.

Responding to Lee's remark, Cabinet Secretary-General Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) yesterday said that the government respects Lee's personal opinion.

"The government's stance is clear, and that is that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state and its name is the Republic of China," she said.

As it requires a constitutional amendment to change the official name of the nation, Liu said that public consensus is necessary for such a move.

"No matter what impact Lee's remark would have on society, either resulting in social movements or triggering national debates, we don't have any right to tell him what to say or do," Liu said.

Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed the same opinion.

"The former president has the freedom of speech to say whatever he likes as long it doesn't violate any laws," said Ma, who is in the US on a six-day visit. "However, it will be up to the people to decide whether his remark is appropriate or not."