President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday said Taiwan would pay a painful price if it allows conservative forces to comeback into power.
"Democracy cannot go backward and reform cannot be undone. If we stop moving forward or are forced to take a step back and revert to authoritarian rule again, we will have a painful price to pay and our vision for democracy will never be realized," Chen said at the opening ceremony of an international conference discussing Hong Kong's experiences under the "one country, two systems" formula since its return to China in 1997.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The conference was held by pro-independence think tank Taiwan Advocates (群策會), of which Lee is chairman.
Addressing the conference alongside Chen, Lee said, "If Taiwan cannot defend its hard-won democratic achievements and allows the resurrection of a conservative power, the country will be forced to live under the shadow of the "one China" principle.
"This is the most important choice Taiwan's people will be face in less than seven months time," Lee said, referring to the presidential election due to be held next March
In his speech, Chen said China's attempts to impose an anti-subversion law on Hong Kong revealed a reversal of democracy and broke Beijing's commitment to allow Hong Kong to remain free from interference for 50 years.
"I would like to use this opportunity to urge the Chinese leadership to respect and protect people's choice and embrace the universal values of democracy, peace and human rights," Chen said.
Lee also said the "one country, two systems" principle in Hong Kong had taken the territory backward both socially, economically and politically.
"Economically, the fantasy of a prosperous Hong Kong is breaking down while, politically, the anti-subversion law has undermined China's commitment to give Hong Kong 50 years of self-autonomy," Lee said.
In contrast to Hong Kong, Lee said Taiwan has been able to undertake a substantial political and economic transformation thanks to the nation "forsaking any unrealistic expectations of China and seeking an identity on the basis of its 23 million people."
However, Lee urged Taiwan not to rest on its laurels because of its democratic and economic achievements and instead strengthen the development of its national identity in the face of and Taiwan's internal pro-China forces as well as China's persistent calls to the "one China" principle, calls which undermine the will of Taiwan's people to be independent.
The two-day international conference, held in the Grand Hotel Taipei, drew more than 600 participants and saw a number of distinguished speakers, including former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan Nat Bellocchi, Japanese expert on international relations Maneo Nakajima, Hong Kong legislative councilors Emily Lau (劉慧卿) and James To (涂謹申), Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and prominent academics from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Bellocchi delivered a speech titled "Hong Kong and Taiwan -- Choice Makes the Difference," asserting that the fundamental political differences between China and Taiwan are so wide that using the "one country, two systems" principle even as a starting point for resolving that difference is simply "impractical."
"The overwhelming difference between the two is in their political history and their political system that makes the `one country, two systems' so improbable for Taiwan. Unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan has a choice and that makes a difference," Bellocchi said.
Meanwhile, pro-democracy councilor Lau, who was attacked by the territory's media for collaborating with Taiwan's pro-independence forces by attending the conference, denied the allegations and said she is not a puppet of any faction in Taiwan.
"I speak for myself. If I can't even attend the meeting out my own will, what would people in Taiwan think about the `one country, two systems' principle?' That we don't even have the freedom to attend a meeting? It's ridiculous!" Lau said.Also See Stories:
HK formula hinders democracy
Article 23 poses dangers, legislators warn
Taiwan must now choose democracy, professor insists
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency as well as long-term residency in Taiwan has decreased, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that the reduction of Chinese spouses staying or living in Taiwan is only one facet reflecting the general decrease in the number of people willing to get married in Taiwan. The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency last year was 7,123, down by 2,931, or 29.15 percent, from the previous year. The same census showed that the number of Chinese spouses applying for long-term residency and receiving approval last year stood at 2,973, down 1,520,
RSS