History professor Wu Kun-tsai (吳昆財) on Monday said that he would initiate a referendum in 2020 to reintroduce Chinese history content that was removed from new high-school curriculum guidelines, the Chinese-language China Times reported yesterday.
Work to prepare the referendum proposal has already begun and the tentative referendum question is: “Do you agree the history curriculum for high schools should be changed back to how it was traditionally?” the newspaper quoted Wu as saying.
He plans to begin collecting signatures for the referendum in April, when he would have obtained more resources and support, and to hold the referendum in 2020 alongside the presidential and legislative elections, it said.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Wu is a leading figure in a campaign to “save Chinese history” launched last month by a group of history teachers.
The group has opposed a new history curriculum the Ministry of Education approved in August that adopted a theme-based approach and made Chinese history part of a theme called “China and East Asia,” with the other two themes being “Taiwan and the World” and world history.
The new curriculum, which is to be implemented in the next academic year, has been described by the group as an attempt to “desinicize” Taiwan. It is in stark contrast to the current, or traditional, version, which requires students to learn Chinese history in a strict chronological order from prehistory.
The ministry has defended the new curriculum, saying that it would enable students to “not only learn about Chinese history, but develop a structured and rich understanding of its connections to global history.”
Many opponents of the new curriculum had as early as August suggested launching a referendum on the issue, but the plan was postponed as it needed more time and resources, Wu was quoted as saying.
By holding the referendum alongside the presidential election, he hopes to urge presidential candidates to clarify their stance on “whether future generations should study Chinese history,” a question he said is closely related to national status and cross-strait policies.
He understands that referendums are expensive and energy-consuming, but they are “the last resort to protect popular sovereignty,” Wu was quoted as saying.
“The nation should be run by experts. That the public has to hold a referendum to decide policy directions shows that the government is failing. If everything has to be solved by referendum, what do we want a government for?” he was quoted as saying.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday held a ceremony marking the delivery of its 11th Anping-class offshore patrol vessel Lanyu (蘭嶼艦), saying it would boost Taiwan’s ability to respond to Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics. Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chang Chung-Lung (張忠龍) presided over the CGA event in the Port of Kaoshiung. Representatives of the National Security Council also attended the event. Designed for long-range and protracted patrol operations at sea, the Lanyu is a 65.4m-long and 14.8m-wide ship with a top speed of 44 knots (81.5kph) and a cruising range of 2,000 nautical miles (3704km). The vessel is equipped with a
RSS