Accepting Beijing’s “one China” principle and the so-called “1992 consensus” would be tantamount to Taiwan giving up its sovereignty, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said in Miaoli County yesterday.
Lai, the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential nominee, made the remarks at the launch of a campaign group, while expressing his continued support for the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan would grow and move forward if it upholds its sovereignty, he said.
Photo: Tsai Cheng-min, Taipei Times
Taiwan would regress to autocracy if voters accept the “one China” principle or the “1992 consensus,” Lai said, adding that only when there is sovereignty is there true peace.
On Saturday, at another campaign event in Chiayi City, Lai accused China of fear-mongering about a potential war to lead Taiwanese to select a political party that it favors.
Lai urged Taiwanese voters to use their ballots to counter the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the presidential election scheduled for Jan. 13 next year.
If Taiwan lets China dictate its election results, it would be the end of the road for democracy, he said.
If a war breaks out, it would be because of a dictatorship, not the DPP, he said.
As Taiwan faces growing military threats from China, people have to take them seriously and not bow to the Chinese dictatorship, he said, adding that if Taiwan’s election results in the wrong choice, there would be no way to return.
The presidential election is not a decision between war and peace, he added.
The “1992 consensus” — a term that former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) in 2006 admitted making up in 2000 — refers to a tacit understanding between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the CCP that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge that there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
The DPP rejects the “1992 consensus,” saying that agreeing to it implies acceptance of China’s claim over Taiwan. It has also drawn a parallel between the “1992 consensus” and Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for Taiwan, but there is no evidence that Beijing demands Taiwan to accept the latter for relations to be restored.
There has been a virtual freeze in cross-strait relations since 2016, when President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office and rejected the “1992 consensus” that had underpinned closer cross-strait ties during the KMT administration of president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) from 2008 to 2016.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“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
RSS