The Presidential Office yesterday defended President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) track record on human rights since China’s Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989, and said the government would continue to urge the Chinese government to show more tolerance for dissent.
Presidential Office spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-chi (范姜泰基) made the remarks in response to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who accused Ma of softening criticism of the suppression of human rights in China since taking office.
Fan Chiang yesterday said that human rights remained a core value under the Ma administration.
“President Ma has shown his concerns about China’s Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4 over the past years, and as usual, he will issue a formal statement on the incident this year,” he said
“Chairperson Tsai, however, did not speak up on the incident until after taking over as the DPP leader. It is unthinkable that she would criticize President Ma, who has shown constant concern about the incident,” he added.
Tomorrow will mark the 22nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989.
Saying that Taiwan must use its democratic assets to support Beijing’s democratization, Tsai on Wednesday accused Ma of keeping relatively silent on the incident over the past three years as his administration sought to improve cross-strait relations with China.
Fang Chiang yesterday said Ma has continued paying great attention to the development of human rights in China, giving a speech on the issue every anniversary and urging the Chinese government to release Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波) last year when he was given the Nobel Peace Prize.
Human rights, Fang Chiang said, would remain a key issue that influences the development of cross-strait relations and Taiwan expects China to improve its democracy, freedom, judicial system and human rights as China has become the second-largest economy in the world since 1989.
The Ma administration will continue to seek closer ties with China, despite concerns about its human rights development, because continuous cross-strait exchanges will help people in China understand the importance of freedom and democracy, he added.
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