President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen said that the media latched onto his quote that there is "one country on either side" of the Taiwan Strait, but that a more accurate summary of the thoughts he expressed would be "the two sides enjoy parity in sovereignty" (主權對等論).
Secretary-General to the President Chang Chun-hsiung (
In his strongest comments on cross-strait affairs since he took office in May 2000, the president told a meeting of the World Federation of Taiwanese Associations in Tokyo on Saturday that there is "one country on ether side" of the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan should seriously consider passing legislation to prepare for a referendum to protect the country's sovereignty.
In an attempt to tone down the impact of his statements, Chang said the president told the committee that a misunderstanding had occurred because the media "oversimplified and over-interpreted his remarks."
Seeking to explain what the president told the committee about the two sides enjoying sovereign equality, Chang said: "Taiwan is an independent sovereignty, whose name is the ROC. We are not part of a special administrative region or another country. This should be clear," he said.
Director of the DPP's Chinese Affairs Department Chen Chung-hsin (
Responding to reporters' questions as to whether the elaboration was meant to quell the outcry over the remarks, Chang said the DPP feels no need to downplay the statements, but rather simply wants to explain the remarks so as to clarify any misunderstandings that may have arisen.
While the DPP moved quickly over the weekend to reassure the public that its cross-strait policy remained unchanged, the incident triggered a furor of criticism.
Domestically, the DPP has faced strong criticism from the opposition camp, who have said Chen's remarks would lead Taiwan to disaster.
Reactions Abroad
Across the Strait, Beijing warned Chen to "stop the horse at the edge of the cliff and to stop all splittist activities."
And a source at the Presidential Office told the Taipei Times last night that it appears the statements have damaged the mutual trust between Taiwan and the US.
The source said that despite damage control efforts by the DPP, the Saturday speech has caused the US to cast doubts on President Chen's personality and leadership.
They consider it risky for a state leader to make what they called reckless remarks under pressure, because of Beijing's diplomatic bullying and military intimidation.
The source also said that the "blue team," a group of pro-Taiwan lawmakers in Washington, has expressed frustration that Chen's comments might undermine some of their lobbying efforts.
"The damage is irreparable," the source said.
Publicly, the US has responded by saying that it's policy remains unchanged.
The US State Department told the media yesterday that the US is still committed to its longstanding "one-China" policy.
Not a slip-of-the-tongue
Meanwhile, officials denied widespread reports that Chen made the comments on the spur-of-the-moment, without much prior thought.
They said the president's statements were in line with the DPP's 1999 resolution regarding Taiwan's future and the "five no's policy" as expressed by Chen at his May 2000 inauguration.
Considered the party's primary guideline when dealing with cross-strait issues, the resolution declares that Taiwan is an independent sovereign state whose name is the ROC.
Any changes regarding this status quo must be collectively determined by all people in Taiwan through a public referendum.
"The speech was not surprising. It corresponds to the DPP's position and it has been stated in the past many times at different times and places," Chen Chung-hsin said.
When asked if there was a need to push for a plebiscite, Chen Chung-hsin said whether it would be necessary to pass referendum legislation would depend on the interaction between Taipei and Beijing.
Calling the referendum a "defensive measure," he said there wouldn't be any urgency to pass the law if the two sides get along peacefully.
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