Taiwan does not necessarily need to export its democracy, but it can share the experience it gained in overcoming obstacles on its way to democracy with other countries, including China, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday,
“We are praised as a beacon of democracy in Asia and the world, but there is so much room for improvement and we have no right to tell other countries what to do,” Ma said in Taipei yesterday morning at an event marking the fifth anniversary of the creation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-affiliated Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
However, Ma said, Taiwan is happy to share with other countries its experience in resolving problems encountered during the democratization process, including state suppression of religions, the White Terror era, the 228 Incident and the Kaohsiung Incident.
The 228 Incident refers to an anti-government uprising in 1947 that was violently suppressed by the then Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and resulted in the deaths of 20,000 people.
The White Terror era included the suppression of political dissidents and public discussion of the 228 Incident from 1949 to 1987, when Taiwan was under martial law. The Kaohsiung Incident of 1979 followed pro-democracy demonstrations, to which KMT authorities responded by arresting many opposition leaders.
“It was suppression then, but it is precious experience now,” Ma said. “Neighboring countries, including China, are welcome to share in our experience so they are better prepared.”
Ma said that while about 60 percent of countries, or 120 countries, had regular elections, that did not necessarily make them democracies, because a true democracy required additional elements, such as a constitutional democracy and liberal democracy.
There are several countries that, despite having regular elections and popular leaders, are ruled through executive orders and nationalism, Ma said.
In the case of the Republic of China, Ma said, the country became the first republic in Asia 97 years ago.
But it did not enact and implement its Constitution until 61 years ago, its first president was elected by the National Assembly 60 years ago and the first popularly elected president was inaugurated just 12 years ago, he said, adding that martial law had not been lifted until 21 years ago.
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