The office of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said that one option to build an independent republic was to reject the Republic of China (ROC).
In a statement, the office said that based on his experience as president, Chen thought it was dangerous to use the “shell” of the ROC because it would not help Taiwan become a “new and independent” republic.
The office said Chen’s endorsement of the lawsuit brought by Taiwanese activist Roger Lin (林志昇) in the US was intended to reflect his “new thinking” that the public must oppose and renounce the constitutional system of the ROC.
Chen’s office said a day earlier that Chen regretted endorsing the lawsuit.
“Recognizing the constitutional system of the ROC amounts to acknowledging that Taiwan is part of China and both sides must ultimately be united,” the statement said. “Only by utterly denying the ROC and [the idea] that it has sovereignty over Taiwan can a different, workable method be found to build an independent state,” the statement said.
Expressing regret over the link between his own legal troubles and Lin’s lawsuit, the office said it had taken the focus off the underlying and harmed the former president.
Chen reiterated his opposition to Lin using his name to seek donations, saying that Lin’s aggressive efforts had upset various groups.
Lin petitioned a Washington district court in October 2006 to rule on the nationality of the people of Taiwan. He wanted the US court to decide what rights Taiwanese have under the San Francisco Peace Treaty and the US Constitution, including whether they should be issued US passports.
Last month, Chen signed an affidavit in support of the lawsuit.
The US Supreme Court declined to hear Lin’s case earlier this month.
Chen’s office yesterday said Chen’s support for Lin’s case was an attempt to counter China’s legal warfare against Taiwan and that Chen hoped to clarify six questions from the angle of international law.
They were: whether the ROC has gained sovereignty over Taiwan since World War II ended; what status and efficacy the Cairo Declaration, San Francisco Treaty and Taipei Treaty have in international law; whether Japan transferred Taiwan’s sovereignty to the ROC; whether the Allied countries recognize the ROC as having sovereignty over Taiwan; whether the US and the international community consider the People’s Republic of China as having inherited the ROC’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan when the communists defeated the Nationalists; and what the US’ policy on Taiwan’s status is.
The answers to the six questions would have consequences for key questions, the office said.
These were:
• If the DPP wins the presidency again, would it amount to the establishment of a new republic?
• If building a new republic is the goal of the DPP, shouldn’t the party have strategies to achieve that goal other than through elections?
• If the DPP wants to build a new republic, but wants to run for the presidency of the ROC, how can it resolve the contradiction?
• If the international community — including Washington — does not consider Taiwan a country, is it necessary to declare independence through a referendum or by drafting a new constitution?
Citing a line in the film Forrest Gump, the office said the main character didn’t mind people calling him stupid or disapproving of his behavior.
“Stupid is as stupid does,” the statement said. “He firmly believes he is doing the right thing and time will tell whether he is right.”
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