Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) proposed yesterday that the government declare to the world the existence of "two Chinas" to counter Beijing's "one China" policy.
Lu made the remark during an interview with CTV yesterday.
"Why don't we just yell out `two Chinas' -- a free and democratic Republic of China on Taiwan and a communist People's Republic of China on the mainland," she said, who made the comment in the wake of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) recent statements that he has no plans to change the official name of the country from the Republic of China to "Republic of Taiwan" during his term.
"There are many disputes over the definition of national sovereignty and we should clarify on the fact [of `two Chinas'] to let the international community understand and make it more convenient to support us."
Under this "two Chinas" framework, the anti-secession law that Beijing is planning to enact will be inapplicable to Taiwan, because the law will only be effective in territory controlled by the PRC, Lu said.
According to the vice president, Beijing compelled Taipei to accept the "one China" policy during talks held in Hong Kong in 1992, and both sides later came to a compromise that allowed either side to express their respective interpretations of the meaning of "one China," with Beijing insisting that "one China" refers to the PRC, and Taipei insisting that "one China" refers to the ROC.
This so-called "1992 consensus" established during the time of the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government reflected the fact that there are "two Chinas," Lu said. Lu suggested that the KMT, as a supporter of the "1992 consensus," openly confess it is following a policy of "two Chinas" and take the lead in promoting the idea of "two Chinas."
She agreed with President Chen that the ROC is the largest area of common ground between the different political camps in Taiwan on the controversial issue of national identity. In response to the vice president's proposal, KMT spokesman Chang Jung-kung (張榮恭) said that although the concept of "two Chinas" is closest to the reality, it cannot solve the problems across the Taiwan Strait.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated