A high-tech tycoon will debate his vision of legislation for cross-strait "peaceful coexistence" on Saturday.
Robert Tsao (
Tsao recently ran two front-page ads in local newspapers suggesting that DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (
The ads sparked a heated debate, with President Chen Shui-bian (
The ad claimed that the proposed law would resolve the cross-strait issue once and for all and end the political wrangling over the independence-unification issue.
Tsao said the law should rule out a referendum on independence because that would be contrary to the nation's claim that it is already an independent and sovereign state.
He said the "independence" he mentions, like the DPP's major "resolution on Taiwan's future" of 1999, refers to "de facto independence" and Taiwan's "status quo" -- not the "de jure independence," which he said will cause unnecessary concern and tension.
China's "Anti-Secession" Law, enacted in March 2005, stipulates that "non-peaceful means" will be used if Taiwan moves toward de jure independence.
Tsao also said Taiwan must not instigate a referendum on unification, because such a move would polarize the Taiwanese -- unless China ordered such a step. If China wanted a referendum on the issue, he said, it would have to explain in detail any substantive measures it would implement to provide a high degree of autonomy to Taiwan, and the rights and obligations of Taiwanese after unification to solicit their support.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
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