The Taiwan Association for Human Rights (
"Although the proportion of legislators signing [the statement] is not too high, we are satisfied with the result because it is a good start," said lawyer Hsueh Ching-feng (薛欽峰), a member of the association.
Hsueh admitted, however, it had been hard to persuade some lawmakers to sign.
"Some legislators declined to sign the statement because of worries that doing so might create difficulties for them in traveling to China in the future," Hsueh said.
The association said it had contacted all legislators or their offices in July, at the start of the Legislative Yuan's summer recess.
Among the excuses the association said it was given when it asked legislators why they had not signed were "I don't have time," "I lost the fax" and "my office was unable to reach me." Some legislators' offices had said the legislator in question was overseas.
Of the 52 legislators who had endorsed the statement as of yesterday, 34 were from the DPP, seven from the KMT, eight from the PFP, and two from the TSU. One was an independent.
None of Taiwan's political parties has an official policy on human rights in China, but the DPP government came to power vowing to make Taiwan a "country of human rights."
Hsueh said that although civil exchanges between Taiwan and China are on the rise, Taiwanese residents often appear indifferent toward rights issues in China.
"We should not remain indifferent toward human rights in China because of ideological differences or historical disputes, because human rights are universal values that are beyond politics," Hsueh said.
The association urged legislators to endorse the statement because they now have more chances to visit China and can express Taiwan's concern over human rights there.
DPP Legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (
Shen said that although China saw human-rights activists as subversive, from Taiwan's perspective "supporting the development of basic human rights in China means guarding Taiwan's democracy."
Another DPP lawmaker, Lin Cho-shui (
"From this point of view, Taiwan has a responsibility to support human-rights protection in China," Lin said.
Huang Mab (黃默), professor of political science at Soochow University and a member of the president's human-rights advisory group, said the lawmakers' endorsements were "a very good start."
Huang said he looked forward to seeing more Taiwanese show their concern about the matter because "such concerns would have a positive influence on Taiwan."
"The concept of human rights is still in its initial stage in Taiwan. Deeper involvement in human-rights issues in China can help to deepen the democratic spirit among Taiwanese," Huang said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as