The Republic of China (ROC) Constitution is the “rock” for stable cross-strait relations, a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) reform committee report presented at the party’s national congress yesterday said, adding that the “1992 consensus” should be applied to maintain cross-strait relations.
The KMT yesterday held its national congress at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei. The theme of this year’s congress was “Protect Taiwan, safeguard democracy and fight for the future.”
Following the KMT’s defeat in the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections, the party on March 31 established a reform committee that is divided into four groups: financial stability, organizational reform, youth participation and cross-strait discourse.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
KMT Deputy Secretary-General Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) delivered the committee report.
The committee advocates the ROC Constitution as the “rock” for stable cross-strait relations, and official cross-strait interactions should “respect the fact that the ROC exists,” the report said, adding that the “1992 consensus based on the ROC Constitution” should be applied to continue cross-strait interaction.
The KMT has for decades “resolutely opposed” Taiwan’s independence and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “one country, two systems” formula, as both would “eliminate the ROC’s sovereign state status,” it added.
A poll conducted among KMT members on party reform, which was released on Wednesday last week, found that 93.6 percent of respondents supported KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang’s (江啟臣) proposal that “the core value of the KMT is the ROC.”
Increasing membership dues to NT$300 next year, up from NT$200 this year, was among suggestions the committee made in the report.
Another was to limit the term of KMT Central Standing Committee members to one consecutive term, with a maximum term of eight years.
The committee report also proposed that no fewer than 15 percent of KMT Central Committee members be under the age of 40.
One in every five KMT nominees for legislator-at-large seats should be under the age of 40 and have an area of professional expertise, the report said.
In his opening remarks at the congress, Chiang, who won the KMT chairperson by-election on March 7, said he believed that there are two key KMT “traditions.”
“The first one is our core value; in the four simplest words, it is ‘the Republic of China,’” he said.
“The second tradition is the KMT’s continuous reform and introspection in its organization, strategy and practice — constantly innovating and seeking change,” he said.
He listed several developments in the party’s efforts to reform, including the establishment of an international affairs department in April, the resumption of Institute of Revolutionary Practice training sessions in July and the launch of a “digital chapter” on Thursday last week.
The KMT took the opportunity to promote the “digital chapter” — a mobile app that allows users to pay membership dues and participate in polls, among other functions.
“The KMT’s middle-of-the-road, steady policy line has long been a stabilizing force between the two sides” of the Taiwan Strait, Chiang said.
“Facing the current situation, we advocate continuing to promote cross-strait exchanges and dialogue, reversing the malicious spiral toward war and avoiding the recurrence of a cold war,” he said.
Former KMT chairpersons, including former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), former vice president Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) and former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), also attended the congress.
The “1992 consensus” — a term former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the CCP that both sides acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
Additional reporting by CNA
‘HONORED’: The DPP’s Lin Fei-fan said friends working in the foreign media, the diplomatic corps and at think tanks congratulated him for making the sanctions list The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday slammed China for sanctioning Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and six other Taiwanese officials for being “diehard separatists,” saying its attempt to intimidate Taiwanese would backfire. China has no authority to dictate the actions of Taiwanese, because Taiwan is a democratic nation that upholds the rule of law, and would never yield to intimidation and threats from an authoritarian regime, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a news conference in Taipei. China’s state-run Xinhua news agency earlier yesterday reported that the Taiwan Work Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee has imposed
ORDNANCE: Under a five-year plan, the Chungshan Institute would make about 200 Hsiung Feng II and III/IIIE, and Hsiung Sheng missiles, an official said The Ministry of National Defense plans to counter the Chinese navy by producing more than 1,000 anti-ship missiles over the next five years, a defense official familiar with the matter said yesterday. The comments came after China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy began a series of military drills in a simulated naval blockade of Taiwan proper following a visit to Taipei by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Although China has in the past few years rapidly produced many warships and added them to its navy, these large vessels are more suited for warfare on the open sea than in the narrow
THAI ASSISTANCE: The representative office in Thailand worked with local authorities to help trafficking victims return home, while one in the group has been charged Eight Taiwanese who were lured to Cambodia with lucrative job offers only to be forced to work illegally were brought home on Sunday night in a joint effort between Taiwanese and Thai authorities, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said. Nine people — six men and three women aged 23 to 42 — boarded China Airlines Flight CI-836 from Bangkok, with assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 9:55pm and were taken to the Aviation Police Bureau for questioning before entering home isolation in accordance with Taiwan’s COVID-19 regulations. The Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday
The organizers of WorldPride 2025 have canceled the Kaohsiung event because its licensing group, InterPride, demanded that it remove “Taiwan” from the event’s name, they said in a statement yesterday. Kaohsiung was to host WorldPride Taiwan 2025 after being granted the right by the global LGBTQ advocacy group. However, the WorldPride 2025 Taiwan Preparation Committee said that InterPride recently gave “abrupt notice” asking it to change the name of the event and use “Kaohsiung” instead of “Taiwan,” even though it applied for the event using “Taiwan” in its name. The name was initially chosen for its significance to the Taiwanese LGBTQ community, as