The people of both Taiwan and China must work together to welcome the 21st century, People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) said yesterday in a speech to university students in Beijing, while emphasizing that Taiwanese independence is not representative of the people of Taiwan.
"However large the world is, is how large the opportunity for China is. Let us together seize this chance, with our hands interlocked and hearts connected, with our feet firmly on the ground, to welcome a 21st century that is in waiting for the Chinese people of both sides [of the Taiwan Strait]," Soong said, speaking to students at Tsinghua University yesterday.
During his stop at the elite Chinese university, which was part of his scheduled agenda for a historic, nine-day tour of China, Soong spoke about the relationship between Taiwan and China.
PHOTO: EPA
Throughout his speech, Soong said that the consolidation of Taiwanese consciousness in the years of the nation's self-rule should not be equated with the Taiwanese independence movement.
Those advocating Taiwanese independence do not represent the island, Soong said.
Whereas Taiwanese consciousness is the natural result of a long passage of history and recognizes the connection between the people of Taiwan and the land, Soong said, Taiwanese independence is a plan to completely cut off Taiwan from the mainland.
"It cannot be denied; Taiwanese consciousness has been manipulated by Taiwanese independence. However, this sort of political scheme has confused the real voices of the Taiwanese people," Soong said in the speech.
Furthermore, he said, while the PFP has a strong love for its Taiwanese homeland and a sense of Taiwanese consciousness, it also has a deep bond to all the Chinese people and is adamantly against Taiwanese independence.
"Our long-standing position is that Taiwanese independence is a dead-end and has never been a feasible option for the PFP," he said.
Despite Soong's emphasis on his party's love for Taiwan, however, he made no mention of the party's, and his, often-stated support for the Republic of China in the speech, choosing to merely focus on the nation's economic success, labeling it the "Taiwan experience," and on his connection to China.
The basic way to solve the problems between China and Taiwan, is not through military means but through the common wishes of the political talent on both sides for the good of the people, Soong said. The future of both countries depends on the deepening of mutual understanding, he added.
"Only by placing the good of the people as their first priority will both sides of the Taiwan Strait exert all efforts to find a resolution acceptable to both sides. In mathematical terms, we must find the greatest common denominator of both sides," Soong said.
"Both sides are my home. On one side are my ancestors, but on the other are our descendants. No one is willing to give up one side in order to win the acknowledgement of the other," Soong said.
Soong also indirectly criticized the current administration when responding to a student's question about President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) decision to decline China's offer to reduce customs duties on a number of Taiwanese agricultural products.
In answering the question, Soong said the reason the government has decided not to accept an offer that would clearly help the Taiwanese people, is because certain individuals have confused thinking and have not thought the issue through.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS