Print

Mail

wiki links

Ma defends 'three noes' policy

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday brushed off his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) counterpart Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) criticism of his policy on cross-strait relations.

Ma said his "three noes" policy was a "moderate" approach to relations with China and reflected public opinion.

The former KMT chairman first proposed the "three noes" policy -- no pursuit of unification, no Taiwanese independence and no use of force -- during his visit to Japan in November and restated his commitment to the policy at a forum on Tuesday.

During an interview with Formosa TV on Tuesday night, Hsieh accused Ma of failing to recognize the nation's sovereignty by ruling out independence.

Hsieh said real progress in the deadlock with China would require that Beijing learn to compromise.

"It can't always be Taiwan making the concessions," Hsieh said in the interview.

He also said Ma's promise that Taiwan would not use force implied that Taiwan posed a threat to regional peace.

Peace across the Strait is not in Taiwan's hands, Hsieh said.

He said that Ma's statements regarding unification versus independence were inappropriate because an aspiring president should not have an ambiguous attitude toward national identity.

Such an attitude casts doubt on Ma's goals if elected president, Hsieh said.

"Most people in Taiwan support maintaining the status quo of the Republic of China on Taiwan and favor adopting a moderate approach," Ma said yesterday while unveiling campaign commercials in Taipei. "The international community will feel the positive power of Taiwan. They will understand that we are a peacemaker, rather than a troublemaker."

Ma vowed at the ad launch to promote what he said were the three core Taiwanese values -- diligence, ambition and sincerity -- and to focus on raising public awareness of minority groups during his next national campaign tour.

"I've never felt that the leader of the nation was so important until now. Our leader has not set a good example and promoted a good environment for the public," Ma said.

He promised to avoid running a smear campaign ahead of the presidential election and said he would pursue social "reconciliation" if elected.

Ma plans to start off on a third national tour next week, visiting nursery schools, minority communities, elderly people and volunteers with aid projects.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN
This story has been viewed 2654 times.