Former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Tuesday proposed what he called new ideas on a “Taiwan Consensus” as a mechanism for conducting cross-strait talks, capping off a series of similar announcements by other senior members of the pan-green camp.
In an interview with the -Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper), Su, the object of speculation over his possible bid for the presidency as a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, said he wanted to base cross-strait relations on “the cornerstones of democracy,” which he said would better represent the interests of Taiwan.
Su told the paper his ideas were closely connected with the DPP’s 1999 Resolution on Taiwan’s Future, which defines Taiwan as a sovereign country separate from China, while acknowledging the Republic of China (ROC) as the country’s formal title.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
“The ‘Taiwan consensus’ would better raise the bar in protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty,” he said, without providing specifics.
Su’s office confirmed the former premier would make an additional statement on the consensus this morning.
His comments come in the wake of similar calls by former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) — both of the DPP — for a new cross-strait policy to replace the so-called “1992 Consensus” currently used by the government as the basis for bilateral ties.
Hsieh has proposed a “Constitutional Consensus” based on recognition of the ROC Constitution, while Lu has promoted what she termed the “1996 Consensus” — the year, she says, Taiwan became a de facto independent country following its first popular presidential election.
Party watchers said the three consensuses, which do not claim to replace the Resolution on Taiwan’s Future or any ratification by the party, likely represent attempts to appeal to more undecided voters by softening their stance on de jure independence.
Although Su and Hsieh have not ruled out making a bid for the party nomination ahead of next year’s presidential election, Su spokesman Xavier Chang (張敦涵) said the consensus and a possible shot at the presidency were unconnected.
Lu is also believed to be considering a bid.
DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), another likely contender for the DPP nomination, has pushed the party to work on a 10-year “master plan,” which would include detailed information on how to deal with future challenges arising from cross-strait relations.
The DPP, as well as former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), do not recognize the “1992 consensus,” which President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration and Beijing claim has buttressed the rapid development of cross-strait economic ties in the past two years, especially in the economic sphere.
The “1992 consensus,” which refers to “one China” with each side having its own interpretation of what this entails, was allegedly reached in 1992. However, then-KMT legislator Su Chi (蘇起) admitted in 2006 to coining the term in 2000, when he was Mainland Affairs Council chief, before the KMT handed over power to the DPP.
In related developments, Lu, still upset over a decision to base DPP primaries entirely on telephone polls, led several supporters to the DPP central party headquarters to invite Tsai and other senior party officials to a gathering against the changes on Sunday.
Party officials arranged for Lu to meet DPP Secretary-General Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全), who told her that Tsai and himself would be out of town that day, adding that more junior officials would attend on their behalf.
Meanwhile, Hsieh said Tsai should declare her candidacy in the DPP primaries as her high poll figures gave her an advantage.
Once she has gotten this out of the way, “I’ll also give consideration to [a bid for the presidency],” he said.
People can take the Taipei MRT free of charge if they access it at Nanjing Sanmin Station or Taipei Arena Station on the Green Line between 12am and 6am on Jan. 1, the Taipei Department of Transportation said on Friday, outlining its plans to ease crowding during New Year’s events in the capital. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve events in Taipei, with singer A-mei (張惠妹) performing at the Taipei Dome and the city government’s New Year’s Eve party at Taipei City Hall Plaza, the department said. As people have tended to use the MRT’s Blue or
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS