The Taiwan Independence Action Party (TIAP) yesterday announced that it was postponing its plans to officially form a political party and would instead focus its efforts to help the New Power Party (NPP), with the hope that the new party would include “Taiwan” in its official name.
The TIAP — formed by former Presidential Office advisers Peng Ming-min (彭明敏) and Wu Li-pei (吳澧培), former Presidential Office secretary-general Chen Shih-meng (陳師孟), Reverend Kao Chun-ming (高俊明) of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan and political commentator Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒) — announced the decision at a news conference in Taipei yesterday, aiming to help pan-green factions achieve a majority in the Legislative Yuan.
The NPP is a new player on the scene, Chin said, and combining the older generation of pro-Taiwanese independence politicians with the “naturally independent” new generation will bring about a change to Taiwan’s future.
The term “natural independence,” or “naturally independent,” was coined by former Democratic Progressive Party chairperson and veteran activist Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) in his book The Natural Independence of the Younger Generation (年輕世代的自然獨), in which he said that as opposed to the older generations who formed their ideas of independence after an intellectual struggle against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) brainwashing they grew up with, the younger generation has grown up in a society in which Taiwanese independence is a mainstream ideal, which makes them “naturally independent.”
Combining forces in Taiwanese politics will ensure the continuation of the pro-Taiwan independence movement, Chin said, adding that he hopes the NPP will add the creation of a Taiwanese constitution to its charter and include “Taiwan” in the party’s official name.
Speaking on behalf of Peng and Wu, Taiwan Friends Association president Huang Kun-hu (黃崑虎) said that he was very excited when he heard the news and felt a renewed hope for Taiwan.
Cooperation between the NPP and other organizations is the culmination of decades of efforts by Taiwanese against “the alien regime” (外來政權) of the KMT, Huang said.
NPP acting president Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that a “normal” nation and promoting the creation of a new constitution are the guiding missions of the NPP.
The party has heard and understood the senior pro-independence campaigners’ expectations, Huang said.
Huang said he recognized the gesture of good will from the TIAP, but said the party’s name is an issue that affects all NPP members and would have to be voted on at the party’s meeting at the end of the month.
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