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KMT mulls over staying silent on national integrity

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) discussed a proposal yesterday that the cross-strait dispute over sovereignty be shelved for 50 years.

The seven-point proposal, entitled "Democracy, Peace, New Taiwan: Our Basic Stance," was aired during a central standing committee meeting.

It covers the party's basic stance on national identity and reiterates the party's resistance to any change of the the country's official name and opposition to Beijing's "one country, two systems" formula.

The other points cover cross-strait relations, the Constitution, democracy, economic development, social welfare and ethnic harmony.

KMT spokesman Alex Tsai (蔡正元) said the proposal was still a draft statement and that the KMT would promote it among the grass-roots and solicit their views and support.

On cross-strait relations, the proposal suggests that Taiwan and China shelve the dispute over sovereignty for 50 years so that the arms race can be ended.

The proposal also suggests that both sides open direct air and shipping links and expand the bases of trade exchange. Both sides could then sign a free trade agreement so that China could offer an opportunity to Taiwan, instead of posing a threat, it says.

The proposal says that cross-strait development should start with economic integration and then gradually expand to the political arena.

The process might take 50 years or even more than 100 years, and may not be witnessed by this generation, but would leave the next generation with a mutually cooperative and beneficial cross-strait relationship, it says.

It also says that the KMT policy on cross-strait relations had originally enjoyed public trust, but that the Democratic Progressive Party twisted the policy into a betrayal of Taiwan, smearing its goodwill and open attitude into one that "kowtowed to Beijing."
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