Regarding the recent visit to China made by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) during which a "10-point consensus" was established, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) reproached the party yesterday, calling its conduct "a violation of the law."
"Any political parties, groups or individuals should not and ought not to openly go against the law, disregard the government's authority and to negotiate or sign agreement with the other side of the Taiwan Strait," Chen said, in a reference to a 10-point consensus between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regarding trade, agriculture, tourism and the protection of China-based Taiwanese businesspeople.
"That should be common sense in a democratic country and the basic understanding of any responsible political party or political leader," Chen said at a ceremony held to commemorate democracy activist Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), who died 16 years ago by self-immolation.
On April 7, 1989, the editor in chief of Freedom Era Weekly set himself ablaze as heavily armed police attempted to break into his office following 71 days of self-imposed isolation.
Born in Taiwan in 1947 to a father of Chinese descent, Deng publicly advocated for Taiwan independence on numerous occasions in the 1980s -- a time when sedition charges could be brought against vocal supporters of independence.
Quoting one of Deng's favorite phrases -- "in pursuit of 100 percent freedom of expression," Chen told the audience that "Nan-jung used his life to defend 100 percent freedom of expression because he feels that any freedom of expression that comes with condition or limitation is not real freedom."
"Likewise, we wish for permanent cross-strait peace, but the peace under the shadow of autocracy and `non-peaceful' threats are not real peace, permanent peace," he said.
Chen, who once served as Deng's defense attorney and was the first president of the popular opposition magazine founded by Deng in 1984, went on to say that "the air of freedom and democracy enjoyed by the Taiwan public is still faced with threats and menace."
"After two decades of struggle, we have overcome the authoritarian rule over the island," Chen said, "but China still harbors hostility toward the Taiwanese people's desires and efforts in the pursuit of democracy and freedom. Such is the serious issue faced by the 23 million people in Taiwan."
"Upholding the belief of putting Taiwan first and safeguarding Taiwanese people's basic rights are the cornerstones in cross-strait policy, which cannot be shaken nor compromised," Chen said.
Noting the mass demonstration held last month in protest against China's "Anti-Secession" Law, Chen said that although the March 26 rally was over, the event nonetheless marked the beginning of Taiwan's taking another step toward pursuing peace and democracy.
"It is a path we will continue to take," he said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
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