The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus yesterday urged teachers not to use the new version of high-school social studies textbooks approved by the National Academy for Educational Research (NAER), which it said contain distorted and unsubstantiated historical information and aim to instill a China-centric mindset in young Taiwanese.
“The Ministry of Education has claimed that it was only responsible for reviewing high-school curricula and that it was up to textbook publishers to decide the content of the books they print,” TSU caucus whip Lai Chen-chang (賴振昌) told a news conference in Taipei.
However, Lai said that since the new curriculum has been “painted red,” most of the publishers have fallen in line, printing textbooks that do not conform to historical facts.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Singling out the Shi Ji Cultural Publishing Co (史記文化事業), Lai said that the company combined the histories of Taiwan and China into what it called “national history,” which also included historical events that occurred during the Japanese colonial era.
“Shi Ji’s proprietor, Cheng Chih-shen (鄭旗生), doubles as the executive officer of the pro-unification Chinese Integration Association, while one of the firm’s textbook compilation committee members, Hao Ming-huang (邵銘煌), is the former director of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s [KMT] history department. Both men are considered ‘deep-blue’ diehards,” Lai said.
Lai said the publisher’s history textbook used the controversial term “returning to the embrace of the motherland” twice.
The book suggests that former president Lee Teng-hui’s (李登輝) formulation of the “two states theory” in 1999 hindered cross-strait negotiations, and the “one side, one country” model proposed by Lee’s successor, Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), had destabilized Taiwan-US relations, Lai said.
The book has two full pages on the so-called “1992 consensus” embraced by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and also praises the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement for elevating cross-strait exchanges to the next level. Lai said.
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding that the KMT says was reached with Beijing that both sides agree that there is only “one China,” with each side having its own interpretations of what China is. Former KMT lawmaker (蘇起) said in 2006 that he had made up the term in 2000, when he was head of the Mainland Affairs Council.
“This is not a school textbook, but rather propaganda material designed to promote the KMT’s history and cross-strait unification,” Lai said, calling on high-school teachers not to use the new editions of book.
TSU Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) said the lack of references in the books to democracy activist Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), the 228 Incident and the 1979 Kaohsiung Incident underscored the curriculum review team’s aim to cover up the former KMT regime’s disregard for human rights by creating the impression that the government had attached great importance to the issue.
“We as Taiwanese must stand up against the government’s brainwashing scheme and safeguard true human rights and democracy,” Chou said.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
COUNTERING THE PLA: While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Phillip Davidson said If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday. “China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington. Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of