During World War I, US president Woodrow Wilson proposed to resolve territorial conflicts around the world through the principle of self-determination.
When the UN was formed after World War II, it declared that self-determination was a major principle of international law.
As its charter stresses, one of the UN’s major aims is to “develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.”
In 1966, the UN passed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states: “All peoples have the right of self-determination.
“By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development,” it says.
Thanks to the principle of self-determination, those who have been colonized or have been ruled by foreign regimes are able to declare independence and build their own countries.
For an independent, sovereign state, this principle can also be applied to remove foreign interference or threats, to maintain national sovereignty and ensure that the nation’s status and future will be decided by the public.
Since 1945, Taiwan has transformed from a land of military occupation into an independent, sovereign state characterized by freedom and democracy.
However, bilateral relations between Taiwan and China have changed significantly since President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) came to power on May 20.
Ma’s government has repeatedly violated campaign promises by leaning toward China to the extent that the status quo of “one country on each side” of the Taiwan Strait has been severely challenged.
Where should Taiwan go now?
I believe that Taiwan’s future must be decided by all our people, not by political slogans, and that any change to the status quo must be decided by Taiwanese through democratic processes.
Taiwan has a dual challenge. Internationally, it faces China’s military threat and its ambition to annex Taiwan.
Domestically, the Ma administration is breaking campaign promises by leaning too closely toward China.
This behavior has damaged the dignity of Taiwanese as well as jeopardized the health, stability and welfare of our society.
Therefore, Taiwanese must stand up and decide their future for themselves and realize self-determination in a referendum.
The long-cherished principle of self-determination is sacred and nobody can deprive us of it.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will hold a rally tomorrow in the name of “safeguarding Taiwan.”
At a time when the nation is facing critical challenges internationally and domestically, this gathering is of great significance.
We must take real action and participate in the event. We must take to the streets hand in hand to protest against the Ma government and express our opposition to its pro-China policies.
We must demonstrate to the international community the public’s will to secure Taiwan’s status as an independent, sovereign state.
Chen Lung-chu is chairman of the Taiwan New Century Foundation.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
Two weeks ago, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (楊紫瓊) raised hackles in Taiwan by posting to her 2.6 million Instagram followers that she was visiting “Taipei, China.” Yeoh’s post continues a long-standing trend of Chinese propaganda that spreads disinformation about Taiwan’s political status and geography, aimed at deceiving the world into supporting its illegitimate claims to Taiwan, which is not and has never been part of China. Taiwan must respond to this blatant act of cognitive warfare. Failure to respond merely cedes ground to China to continue its efforts to conquer Taiwan in the global consciousness to justify an invasion. Taiwan’s government
This month’s news that Taiwan ranks as Asia’s happiest place according to this year’s World Happiness Report deserves both celebration and reflection. Moving up from 31st to 27th globally and surpassing Singapore as Asia’s happiness leader is gratifying, but the true significance lies deeper than these statistics. As a society at the crossroads of Eastern tradition and Western influence, Taiwan embodies a distinctive approach to happiness worth examining more closely. The report highlights Taiwan’s exceptional habit of sharing meals — 10.1 shared meals out of 14 weekly opportunities, ranking eighth globally. This practice is not merely about food, but represents something more
In an article published on this page on Tuesday, Kaohsiung-based journalist Julien Oeuillet wrote that “legions of people worldwide would care if a disaster occurred in South Korea or Japan, but the same people would not bat an eyelid if Taiwan disappeared.” That is quite a statement. We are constantly reading about the importance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), hailed in Taiwan as the nation’s “silicon shield” protecting it from hostile foreign forces such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and so crucial to the global supply chain for semiconductors that its loss would cost the global economy US$1
Concerns that the US might abandon Taiwan are often overstated. While US President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine raised unease in Taiwan, it is crucial to recognize that Taiwan is not Ukraine. Under Trump, the US views Ukraine largely as a European problem, whereas the Indo-Pacific region remains its primary geopolitical focus. Taipei holds immense strategic value for Washington and is unlikely to be treated as a bargaining chip in US-China relations. Trump’s vision of “making America great again” would be directly undermined by any move to abandon Taiwan. Despite the rhetoric of “America First,” the Trump administration understands the necessity of
RSS