Taiwan should help its arch-rival China to pursue "one country, one system" rather than what it now has, which is "one country, two systems," Premier Frank Hsieh (
"Promoting unification with China is an impossible and impractical political fantasy," Hsieh said. "A more sensible approach would be to help China become a more democratic society."
It is unfair, Hsieh said, to apply two different systems to Chinese people because it seems as though some must be reconciled to a life that is less free, while some live a comparatively freer life.
"Chinese people, after all, are people like you and I," he said. "I don't think two different political systems will bring stability."
According to Hsieh, "One country, one system" means everybody is free: Free to have their own opinions, free to hold religious belief, free to elect their political representatives and free to make a decent living in whatever way they choose.
If China becomes freer and democratic and less hostile toward Taiwan, Hsieh said, cross-strait problems can be resolved.
"It sounds more realistic to join efforts with China to combat crimes such as human trafficking, because that, I think, is what the people sincerely want governments to do," he said.
He also called on politicians and the public to stop raising resentment among Mainlanders and stop inflaming patriotism among the people of Taiwan.
Regarding China's proposed "anti-secession law," Hsieh said that he is certain that the US government realizes how the people of Taiwan feel about the planned legislation and it has on various occasions publicly questioned the necessity of enacting such a law.
"China may or may not proceed with this," he said.
"They may eventually enact it but in a significantly modified form. If that's the case, it's worth observing whether it does so simply to save face," he said.
Defining his Cabinet team as promoting "negotiation" and "stability," Hsieh reiterated the importance of "negotiation" with opposition parties, especially when pushing contentious bills.
"My stance on controversial bills is clear: negotiate, negotiate, negotiate," he said. "We have no need to send contentious bills to the legislature merely because we want to appease our supporters."
Hsieh said that the government may be able to garner more support for such bills during future conciliation and negotiating.
"The key lies in patience, perseverance and commitment in the long term," he said.
Also see stories:
Taiwan moved clear of Mexico to be the only country at No. 2 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Baseball World Rankings. Meanwhile, draft bills to set up a ministry of sports were approved at a joint session at the legislature in Taipei yesterday. After previously being tied with Mexico for second on 4,118 points, Taiwan moved clear on 5,498 points after they defeated Japan in the final of the WBSC Premier12 tournament on Sunday. Mexico (4,729) dropped to fourth, behind Venezuela (4,846), who finished fourth at the tournament. Taiwan narrowed the gap to first-placed Japan to 1,368 points from 1,638, WBSC
GLOBAL SUPPORT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the motion highlighted the improper exclusion of Taiwan from international discussion and cooperative mechanisms Taiwan yesterday thanked the British parliament for passing a motion stating that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan, making it the latest body to reject China’s interpretation of the resolution. The House of Commons on Thursday debated the international status of Taiwan and unanimously passed a pro-Taiwan motion stating that the House “notes that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the political status of Taiwan or establish PRC [People’s Republic of China] sovereignty over Taiwan and is silent both on the status of Taiwan in the UN and on Taiwanese participation in UN agencies.” British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary
HIGH ALERT: The armed forces are watching for a potential military drill by China in response to the president’s trip, with the air force yesterday conducting an exercise President William Lai (賴清德) is to make stopovers in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam during his seven-day trip to the South Pacific, his first official visit since taking office in May, the Presidential Office said yesterday. Lai, accompanied by a delegation, is scheduled to depart for the South Pacific on a chartered flight at 4:30pm tomorrow, stopping first in Hawaii for a two-night layover before traveling to the Marshall Islands, an office official said. After wrapping up his visits to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, the president is to transit through Guam, spending a night there before flying to Palau,
‘IMPORTANCE OF PEACE’: President Lai was welcomed by AIT Managing Director Ingrid Larson, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and others President William Lai (賴清德) was feted with red carpets, garlands of flowers and “alohas” as he began his two-day stopover in Hawaii on Saturday, part of a Pacific tour. Looking relaxed in a Hawaiian shirt, Lai flitted around the US island state, visiting the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s leading museum of natural history and native Hawaiian culture, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Lai was given the “red carpet treatment” on the tarmac of Honolulu’s international airport, his office said, adding that it was the first time a Taiwanese president had been given such
RSS