The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday urged Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leaders to make clear their positions on the proposed suspension of the party’s so-called “Taiwan independence clause.”
The independence clause is an article in the DPP’s charter that calls for the establishment of a Republic of Taiwan.
Beijing has always said that the clause is a primary roadblock to engaging with the DPP.
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) proposed on Thursday that the party abandon the clause in order to strengthen communications with China, sparking confusion over the DPP’s China policy and its position on independence.
KMT spokesman Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) said yesterday that DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and former DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should say whether they believe the clause remains a core value for the DPP.
“The Republic of China [ROC] is a sovereign country, and if the proposed suspension of the clause means that the DPP is moving closer to [recognition of] the ROC, the KMT would welcome such a transition,” he said.
Yang said the clause, which calls for a referendum on the creation of a Republic of Taiwan is not in line with public opinion or international reality.
“The DPP has participated in elections under the ROC’s constitutional system and was in power for eight years, but is still unable to face reality,” he said.
Su and many DPP members have shrugged off Ker’s proposal.
Suspending the clause, Su said, is a non-issue because the DPP views Taiwan as an independent and sovereign country given the constitutional amendments, presidential elections and legislative elections that have taken place over the years.
Yang said that since the DPP has not abolished the clause, it remains important for the party.
The party’s poor handling of the clause, he said, reflects the lack of consistency and the instability of its cross-strait policies.
Meanwhile yesterday, former minister of defense Michael Tsai (蔡明憲) said he was disappointed with Ker’s proposal, saying “it was inappropriate at this time that Ker should propose an amendment that dances to China’s tune.”
Tsai made the remarks at an event jointly hosted by the Taiwan United Nations Alliance and the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan.
Executive-director of the DPP’s Policy Research Committee, Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), who also took attended the event, said many were surprised by Ker’s “personal views” expressed during the party’s meeting on China policy on Thursday.
Wu added that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state, evident by its direct presidential and legislative elections and conscription system.
Additional reporting by Chen Ching-min
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
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
MULTIPRONGED APPROACH: China has sought to pressure Palau across a number of fronts, but the island nation has staunchly resisted overtures to ditch Taiwan Palau has been firm in backing Taiwan despite Chinese pressure that uses tourism economics, cyberattacks and criminal infiltration as tools to threaten the Pacific ally into renouncing its recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign state. The Presidential Office yesterday announced that Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) would visit Palau from Saturday to Wednesday next week at the invitation of Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. Whipps in April said in an interview that China had outspokenly asked Palau to “denounce Taiwan.” “And we have said: ‘We have no enemies, but nobody tells us who our friends are,’” he said. Whipps has told reporters multiple times
RSS