Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) yesterday accused President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of breaking her pledge to abide by the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution with her choice of nominees for Judicial Yuan president and grand justices who apparently support the “two states” doctrine.
“Judicial Yuan president nominee Hsu Tzong-li (許宗力) and grand justice nominees Hsu Chih-hsiung (許志雄) and Hwang Jau-yuan (黃昭元) share something in common: They are all champions of the ‘two states’ doctrine,” Hung said on Facebook.
Huang said she is indignant at the length Tsai went through to place supporters of the “two states” doctrine in a position that entitles them to issue constitutional interpretations.
Hung said Tsai’s description of the ROC as a government-in-exile in 2010 and criticism of the nation’s constitutional system as an impediment in a letter she wrote to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members for the party’s 30th anniversary last month all constitute reneging on her commitment to “comply with the ROC Constitution.”
Hung’s remarks follow Hsu Tzong-li’s and Hsu Chih-hsiung’s confirmation hearings at the legislature on Thursday last week and Monday respectively.
Hsu Tzong-li described Taiwan-China relations within a “special state-to-state” model that is similar to the relationship between West and East Germany, adding that the ROC’s sovereignty does not include China.
Hsu Chih-hsiung made a similar comment, saying: “Taiwan is a sovereign nation, which no one can dispute. The People’s Republic of China is also a nation, on which we all agree.”
He also said that the ROC Constitution, which was formulated in China, is out of touch with Taiwanese society.
Accusing Tsai of tricking voters into supporting her by saying that she would maintain the cross-strait “status quo” if elected, Hung said Tsai might try to push the “two states” doctrine through constitutional interpretations.
“As president of the ROC, Tsai is obliged to defend the Constitution. We are not Germany after World War II,” Hung said, urging Tsai to keep her promises and refrain from jeopardizing the hard-earned cross-strait peace by attempting to change the “status quo.”
Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said there was no need to read too much into the personal comments made by grand justice nominees based on their legal training and understanding of the values of freedom and democracy.
“The government’s stance has been made clear in Tsai’s inaugural address and Double Ten National Day speech, which is to promote cross-strait peace in accordance with the ROC Constitution, the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) and other laws,” Huang said.
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