The Taiwan Statebuilding Party yesterday proposed constitutional amendments to clearly distinguish Taiwan and China as separate countries, and remove the goal of unification from the Constitution.
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) said that the Constitution does not reflect the current reality and perpetuates a political deceit, as it divides the Republic of China (ROC) into a “free area,” which is Taiwan and its outlying islands, and a “mainland area.”
“The ROC government does not control China, and this falsehood that it represents China is still being claimed by politicians, and remains part of the school curriculum, which is teaching lies to our kids,” he said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
“I also support the ‘one China policy’ because there is a country called China, and another country called Taiwan,” he said. “This is why we need these amendments, to have a constitution for Taiwan, because like the majority of our citizens, I identify as Taiwanese, not Chinese.”
The party’s proposal focuses on five alterations to the Constitution, with the first to change the nation’s stated aim of “unifying the country” to creating a consensus among citizens for the “eventual establishment of a Taiwanese republic through a new constitution.”
Second, the “additional articles of the Constitution” should clearly define the “free area” as “Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and the outlying islands under Taiwan’s governance.”
Third, the “mainland area” should explicitly be defined as the People’s Republic of China, they said.
Fourth, the president should be required to report to the legislature every three years, to assess and address any need for constitutional amendments, and the legislature would be mandated with initiating the amendment process.
Last, the new constitution must require the government to push for transitional justice, they said.
“Right now, more than 80 percent of our citizens identify themselves as Taiwanese. This is why our party wants to help create a new constitution, to closely conform to people’s core values,” Taiwan Statebuilding Party Chairman Chen Yi-chi (陳奕齊) said.
In many of the nation’s laws, the terms that define “free area” and “mainland area” are imprecise and open to interpretation, Chen said.
“But today with people identifying with Taiwan, and seeing China as a hostile country whose military aggression is threatening Taiwan’s existence, we must rewrite these definitions to clarify these terms,” he added.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS