Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) expressed his misgivings in a speech to the Taiwan Association of America (全美台灣同鄉會) yesterday regarding what he considers the pro-unification media's strategy to pressure the government to accept the "one China" principle.
While stressing that Taiwan is a sovereign state, Lee said "remnants of the alien power and media advocating unification have frequently instilled Chinese perspectives into Taiwan's society with an attempt to confuse Taiwan's identity.
"I am apprehensive because what [they] have been doing is pushing the government to accept the `one China' conspiracy -- a notion that conflicts with the country's mainstream views," Lee said.
Lee made the comments in an acceptance speech delivered on video cassette to a meeting of Taiwan Association members in Washington.
The organization had invited Lee to the US capital to accept a freedom award, but the former president was unable to attend the ceremony due to health considerations. Instead, TSU Chairman Huang Chu-wen (
Lee said in the video that he is honored to receive the award, but believes the prize should be given to all Taiwanese.
"It is the collective effort of all Taiwanese to enable the country to make strides in democracy and economics, as well as to have the seeds of localization planted in society," he said.
"Democracy and freedom are universal values. ? It is an eternal goal for Taiwan to campaign for freedom and safeguard this system after it is attained."
Reiterating his belief that Taiwan is an independent state, Lee urged Taiwanese to stand up and march onto the international stage so that Taiwanese residing overseas could take pride in their nationality.
Huang, along with several TSU lawmakers, left for an eight-day trip to the US last Monday to campaign for the use of Taiwan as the country's official name and to exchange views on the possibility of signing a free-trade agreement with the US.
The trip furthers efforts begun two weeks ago when the TSU, along with some 70 pro-Taiwan groups, mobilized more than 10,000 people to take to the street, campaigning for the rectification of Taiwan's name.
During his meeting with members of the Taiwan Association of America, Huang said that Taiwan is an independent nation in reality but the name "Republic of China" has prevented the country from asserting itself internationally.
"Republic of China refers to China, and China refers to People's of Republic of China. But Taiwan is Taiwan; this is clear."
The delegation arrived in Washington late Wednesday and spent two days in discussions with members of Congress, the American Institute in Taiwan and other government officials.
The trip included a session with three of the four founding co-chairmen of the newly created Congressional Taiwan Caucus -- Democrat Sherrod Brown, Republican Steve Chabot and Democrat Robert Wexler -- plus long-time Taiwan supporter Senator Frank Murkowski.
The delegation also went to a dinner hosted by outgoing American Institute in Taiwan director Richard Bush and attended by State Department officials.
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