A study advocating an internationally monitored plebiscite to decide the political future of Taiwan appeared this week on an Oxford University Web site.
“Unlike in bygone eras, international law no longer conceives of territories as mere pieces of property to be traded or conquered,” the study says.
Written by New York Law School professor Chen Lung-chu (陳隆志), the study says that human beings “are properly held to be at the center of international law.”
The study comes as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman and New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) prepares for talks next week with Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping (習近平).
The idea of a plebiscite to decide the future of Taiwan is anathema to Beijing and a development that could lead to a military attack.
However, Chen argues that Taiwanese have the right to determine their own future.
“The inhabitants of a disputed territory, through collective effort, can develop their distinctive political, economic, social and cultural system,” he said. “This is effective self-determination — self-determination in action. When the international legal status of a territory is in dispute, an internationally monitored plebiscite provides the ideal means of resolving the dispute peacefully.”
Chen’s study appeared under the international law section of the University of Oxford Press Web site.
Asked to comment on the Xi-Chu meeting, the US Department of State said last week that the US encourages Taiwan and China to continue their dialogue.
“We encourage authorities in Beijing and Taipei to continue their constructive dialogue, which has led to significant improvements in the cross-strait relationship,” a spokesperson said.
Polls show that a majority of Taiwanese prefer independence to unification with China.
In the past, the US Department of State has discouraged the idea of a plebiscite for fear that it might trigger Chinese military action.
“In a world of increasing globalization and interdependence, we see a gradual expansion in identifications — more and more, members of the world community identify with the most inclusive community of humankind and a deepening perception of shared humanity,” the study says. “Genuine protection and fulfillment of human dignity values... will be possible only when individuals are enabled to be effective, active, equal participants at different community levels and in different social settings.”
It says that the past 30 years have witnessed a profound and persistent movement of democratization — and Taiwanization — that runs counter to China’s “unfounded claims over the island.”
“Under present conditions, Taiwan’s statehood is best understood in the context of an ongoing process of evolution propelled by the desire and action of the Taiwanese people for self-determination and democracy,” the study says.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS