President Chen Shui-bian (
Acting Presidential Office Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told a news conference that the president and the administration would make the most of the rights given to them by law to safeguard Taiwan's security and sovereignty.
They hope the public as well as opposition parties would support initiatives designed to boost Taiwan's national identity and patriotism, Cho said.
PHOTO: CNA
YU'S PROPOSAL
Earlier in the day Yu said Beijing's moves to deal with Taiwan's UN bid by citing its "Anti-Secession" Law were an attempt to unilaterally change the cross-strait "status quo."
Under such a circumstance, the prerequisites of Chen's "four noes" pledge would no longer exist, Yu said.
The "four noes" pledge was part of Chen's inauguration speech in 2000. He promised that as long as China did not use military force against Taiwan, he would not declare independence, change the national title, enshrine the "state-to-state" model of cross-strait relations in the Constitution or endorse a referendum on independence.
"The DPP will urge the president to launch a `defensive referendum,' which may include issues such as Taiwanese independence, to show Taiwan's determination to resist China's annexation," Yu told a press conference.
SHOWING THE WORLD
A referendum on Taiwan's bid to enter the UN using the name "Taiwan" would not be an effort to change Taiwan's status quo but an attempt to show the world that Taiwan is a sovereign state and not part of China, he said.
Noting that more than 70 percent of Taiwanese support the bid to enter the UN under the name "Taiwan," Yu asked whether the US should be seen as a role model for democracies because it was opposed to the proposed referendum on the UN bid.
"If the US government opposes the referendum, what is the difference between [the US] and China, which has been oppressing Taiwan in the international arena? Would the US be qualified to be a democratic role model?" Yu asked.
RESERVATIONS
DPP caucus whip Wang Tuoh (
"I am in favor of launching a `defensive referendum,' but announcing Taiwanese independence is a very serious matter," Wang said. "I think this matter requires long-term planning. He [Yu] should not allow himself to be provoked [by China]."
Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) told a separate news conference yesterday afternoon that if Yu was speaking on behalf of the party, then he should first discuss his ideas with Chen and DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).
She declined to say whether she supported Yu's ideas.
A LOT OF WORK
Lu said the government has a lot of work to do before it could hold a referendum on Taiwan's UN bid, including explaining why such a referendum was necessary.
"We are appealing too much to populism if we don't tell the 23 million people of Taiwan or tell the world what the legitimate foundation of our sovereignty is. I would not be optimistic [about the effect of a UN referendum]," she said.
"Holding a referendum is a significant matter ... We must make more preparations rather than have a smattering of knowledge about our sovereignty if we were to succeed," she said.
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