Mon, Feb 20, 2006 page3

• Independence never a KMT option: Ma

  CLARIFICATION The KMT chairman tried to resolve the debate over his party's goals that was triggered by a series of inconsistent remarks he made over the past two weeks

  • By Jewel Huang / STAFF REPORTER
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  Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday that the KMT has never seen independence for Taiwan as an option and that for decades he has upheld the idea that Taiwan should maintain the status quo -- neither pursuing immediate unification nor seeking permanent separation with China.

  Ma made the remarks in a news conference at CKS International Airport yesterday morning upon his return from Europe.

  Ma and a team of of Taipei City Government administrators went to Europe for 13 days to attract foreign investment for Taipei, visiting the UK, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland.

  Although the trip was for the city government, Ma consistently discussed cross-strait relations, which sparked criticisms back home.

  To resolve the controversy over whether the KMT is in favor of Taiwan's independence or not, Ma spent some time at the news conference explaining that the party has never seen independence as an option, although some Taiwanese people may disagree.

  "The people of Taiwan have different views on the political spectrum and each can have his or her say in a democratic society," Ma said. "The KMT maintains the status quo."

  "I have never changed my stance on cross-strait relations. Ten years ago, I said that we should neither pursue immediate reunification nor permanent separation. Ten years later, I still hold the same opinion," Ma said.

  "Taiwan should maintain the status quo and I don't think we can achieve either independence or reunification at this point," he said.

  "Reunifying [with China] has to wait until the conditions of both sides turn mature and has to be consented by the people of Taiwan," Ma said.

  The KMT leader also proposed a new political viewpoint for Taiwan -- "maintaining the status quo, calling a truce over the question of independence or reunification, opening up links with China and all of the people of Taiwan working together on these goals."

  The KMT leader said he had come up with the viewpoint during his European trip.

  "I think the bottom line of the status quo is President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) five noes. It is also the most basic common ground that Taiwan, China and the US share," Ma said.

  "I also opposed China's `Anti-Secession' Law, which is a change in the status quo," he said.

  "Both sides should not change the status quo unilaterally. This is a policy that is supported by the US, Japan and China." Ma said. "I wonder why Taiwan is opposed to it. Wouldn't it be odd to create a surprise for our friends and make China feel strange?" Ma said.

  He warned that Chen will have to accept the consequences of abolishing the National Unification Council as the opposition parties cannot do much about the proposal.

  "Even though we are the opposition, we don't want to mess up Taiwan," Ma said.

  "The US has made it clear that the president might have to take responsibility for the aftermath [of abolishing the council]. We hope to see the government stick to its five noes commitment and expend its energies on interaction between Taiwan and China," he said.

  Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) praised Ma for showing the party's determination to maintain the cross-strait status quo.

  "[Ma and I] both believe that the status quo is the best choice for the country. As for options either for unification or for independence, it should be decided by the people in the future," he said.

  People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀) said that the PFP supported Ma for his insistence that the president honor the "five noes" pledge, adding that the party will have the pledge written into law should the president violate it.

  Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻), however, said that Ma should realize the fact that China will never offer Taiwan its goodwill even though Taiwan reiterates the "four noes and one not" pledge.

  "How many times has the president made the pledge since he took office in 2000? Regardless, China passed its Anti-Secession Law last year," Chen said. "We don't have to lower ourselves by sticking to the pledge."

  Ma on unification

  Dec. 13, 2005
  

  In an interview in "Newsweek," Ma says the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) eventual goal is to unify Taiwan with China although the KMT has no time line for that goal.

  Feb. 11
  

  When asled by a student at a forum at Cambridge Universtiy, Ma says he agreed that Taiwan should not negotiate with China if Beijing does not remove the missiles targeted at Taiwan.

  Feb. 13
  

  Ma says he will not stop his efforts to seek peace with China, even though there are 700 missiles aimed at Taiwan. Only with continuous negotiations can a breakthrough be made in cross-strait peace, he says.

  Feb. 14
  

  The KMT runs a newspaper ad stating that "the KMT firmly believes that there are many options for Taiwan's future, be it reunification, independence or the status quo. Taiwan's future should be determined by its people.

  Feb. 15
  

  Ma defends the ad, saying that for some people in Taiwan, independence is an option, but it is not the choice of the KMT, which upholds "maintaining the status quo." "We would discuss the unification issue when the conditions become mature," Ma says.

  Feb. 19
  

  Ma says the KMT has never seen Taiwan's independence as an option and has been upholding "maintaining the status quo," which is not to pursue immediate unification or permanent separation.

  Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan
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