Taiwan “resolutely” rejects Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula as a solution to cross-strait relations, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) again issued the call in his speech on China’s National Day, saying that Beijing would persist in its determination to “peacefully reunite [China and Taiwan] under ‘one country, two systems,’” and would “maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau.”
China would “push for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and continue to fight for the realization of the complete unification of the ‘motherland,’” Xi said.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
The “one country, two systems” formula is not suitable for Taiwan, the council said, calling instead on Beijing to implement democratic reforms to benefit its people.
The Republic of China (ROC) has been a sovereign nation for 108 years, and on Taiwan, it is has put democracy into practice and prospered, it said.
“Chinese authorities must realize what is an international fact: Taiwan has never for a second been a part of the People’s Republic of China,” it said.
By clinging to a one-party dictatorship for 70 years, the Chinese Communist Party has violated the democratic and human rights of its people, turning itself into a threat and a challenge to the nation’s sustained development, it said.
“Talking about ‘struggle’ and the ‘great rejuvenation and unification’ [of Chinese people] ... are just excuses for military expansion that threatens regional peace and stability,” it said.
The Taiwanese government will not waver in its protection of the nation’s sovereignty and democracy, and will never give in to threats or coercion, it said.
Democratic Progressive Party spokeswoman Hsueh Cheng-yi (薛呈懿) said that Taiwanese would never forget Xi’s threat of the use of force as an option to unify China and Taiwan.
The results of China’s “one country, two systems” can already be seen in Hong Kong, where public calls for democracy have been met with violent suppression, she said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said that it was regrettable that Xi appeared not to have noticed changes on both sides of the Taiwan Strait over the past nine months.
“The KMT does not support the ‘one country, two systems’ framework and disapproves of the way President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has attempted to equate it with the ‘1992 consensus,’” it said in a statement.
The KMT urges all parties to face the fact that the ROC and its Constitution exist, it said.
As a middle-of-the-road party, the KMT strictly adheres to the ROC Constitution in handling cross-strait affairs, it said.
In 1992, the KMT helped establish the cross-strait consensus of “one China, with each side having its own interpretation of what that means,” it said.
If the KMT is voted back into power, it would ensure peace and promote cross-strait exchanges based on the “1992 consensus,” as well as on its opposition to “one country, two systems” and Taiwanese independence, it said.
As the Double Ten National Day nears, the party urges all citizens to celebrate the day by displaying the ROC national flag, it said.
The New Power Party said that “it would be impossible for Taiwan to ever accept the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.”
Beijing should respect Taiwan’s sovereignty and stop its unrealistic fantasy and attempts at interference, the party said.
“Taiwan will not adopt the ‘one country, two systems’ with a country that has no respect for human rights,” NPP spokesman Chen Chih-ming (陳志明) said.
Taiwan will continue to work on establishing itself by championing human rights, freedom and rule law, he said.
Additional reporting by Yang Chun-hui
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old