Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday called for the rectification of the nation's name from the Republic of China to Taiwan, and for the enactment of a new Constitution.
"While most people refer to the country as the `Republic of China, Taiwan,' I think it's a better idea to take out the `Republic of China,'" Lee said.
When later asked by the media whether he meant the nation should change its official designation to Taiwan, Lee said that "we should all strive for that goal."
PHOTO: CNA
Lee also called for the enactment of a new Constitution.
"The Constitution, promulgated by the KMT in Nanjing in January 1947 and which came into effect the same year, has been amended six times over the past 12 years. I say it's time to forge a new Constitution," Lee said.
Lee made the remarks during the third annual meeting of the World Taiwanese Congress held at the National Central Library in Taipei City yesterday.
The congress, which is composed of nearly 100 pro-Taiwan groups worldwide, was formed in March 2001 with the aim of elevating Taiwan's international standing and advancing the nation's role in the international community.
Addressing a roomful of participants, Lee said that it is time to change the nation's official designation from the Republic of China to Taiwan.
"It's pathetic that the international community refers to Taiwan as the `Republic of China, Taiwan,' while only a few people here recognize the `Republic of China', except for the pro-unification groups," he said.
Lee also lashed out at the opposition camp for its defeatist rhetoric and distortion of mainstream public opinion.
"There are some people who were originally die-hard anti-communists, but now they're teaming up with the pro-reunification media to give President Chen Shui-bian (
The biggest problem for the nation, Lee said, is that there are too many self-appointed mainstream media sources distributing deceiving the people of Taiwan.
"There are too many liars claiming that they represent mainstream public opinion and constantly spreading rumors and lies out there," he said.
As Taiwan has been liberated from years of colonization by foreign countries and the alien regime of the KMT, Lee said, the people should come to realize that they are Taiwanese, not Chinese.
"It's very important that Taiwanese people identify themselves with this country and recognize Taiwan as their motherland," he said.
Opposition leaders were unimpressed with Lee's remarks.
"There's nothing wrong with the nation's name, nor with the Constitutional system," said KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
PFP Chairman James Soong (
"It's indubitably true that the nation is suffering from economic woes and the government should do something about it," Soong said. "It's the consensus of most Taiwanese people to maintain the status quo. We refuse to accept `one country, two systems' just as much as we don't want to provoke China by changing the country's name and forging a new Constitution."
Soong also requested that Chen offer an explanation of Lee's remarks.
"I suspect that President Chen knew about this and gave him [Lee] tacit consent," Soong said. "The president owes the Taiwanese people an explanation as to where he wants to lead us, as the nation's unemployment and suicide rates are soaring."
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Yilan at 11:05pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter was located at sea, about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km, CWA data showed There were no immediate reports of damage. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Yilan County area on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. It measured 4 in other parts of eastern, northern and central Taiwan as well as Tainan, and 3 in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and 2 in Lienchiang and Penghu counties and 1
FOREIGN INTERFERENCE: Beijing would likely intensify public opinion warfare in next year’s local elections to prevent Lai from getting re-elected, the ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ said Internal documents from a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company indicated that China has been using the technology to intervene in foreign elections, including propaganda targeting Taiwan’s local elections next year and presidential elections in 2028, a Japanese newspaper reported yesterday. The Institute of National Security of Vanderbilt University obtained nearly 400 pages of documents from GoLaxy, a company with ties to the Chinese government, and found evidence that it had apparently deployed sophisticated, AI-driven propaganda campaigns in Hong Kong and Taiwan to shape public opinion, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported. GoLaxy provides insights, situation analysis and public opinion-shaping technology by conducting network surveillance
‘POLITICAL GAME’: DPP lawmakers said the motion would not meet the legislative threshold needed, and accused the KMT and the TPP of trivializing the Constitution The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against President William Lai (賴清德), saying he had undermined Taiwan’s constitutional order and democracy. The motion was approved 61-50 by lawmakers from the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), who together hold a legislative majority. Under the motion, a roll call vote for impeachment would be held on May 19 next year, after various hearings are held and Lai is given the chance to defend himself. The move came after Lai on Monday last week did not promulgate an amendment passed by the legislature that
AFTERMATH: The Taipei City Government said it received 39 minor incident reports including gas leaks, water leaks and outages, and a damaged traffic signal A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late on Saturday, producing only two major aftershocks as of yesterday noon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The limited aftershocks contrast with last year’s major earthquake in Hualien County, as Saturday’s earthquake occurred at a greater depth in a subduction zone. Saturday’s earthquake struck at 11:05pm, with its hypocenter about 32.3km east of Yilan County Hall, at a depth of 72.8km. Shaking was felt in 17 administrative regions north of Tainan and in eastern Taiwan, reaching intensity level 4 on Taiwan’s seven-tier seismic scale, the CWA said. In Hualien, the
RSS