Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) members are being urged to refrain from taking sides amid the controversy over KMT Chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu’s (洪秀柱) perceived inclination to remove the “different interpretations” clause from the so-called “1992 consensus.”
Posting on Facebook a joint statement issued by a number of the KMT’s city and county councilors on Saturday calling for party unity, Hung yesterday said that the party’s top priorities are to steer the nation toward the right path, lead the KMT out of its current predicament and protect the rights of the party’s employees.
“At such a difficult time, we cannot afford internal divisions. No one needs to take sides, because no one can shoulder the cost of ruptures within the party,” Hung said, adding that there is nothing that cannot be resolved through communication.
Hung said that as there are still members who are either concerned or unclear about the KMT’s new policy platform passed at the party’s national congress last month, she plans to tour the nation in the near future to better explain the platform to KMT members.
The policy platform, passed on Sept. 4, puts focus on furthering the “1992 consensus” on the basis of the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution and exploring the possibility of ending cross-strait hostility through a peace accord.
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and Beijing that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means. Former Mainland Affairs Council chairman Su Chi (蘇起) said in 2006 that he had made up the term in 2000.
The platform only mentions the “different interpretations” part once when talking about former president Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) success in deepening cross-strait interactions during his eight years in office, omitting what the pan-blue camp has considered as an integral element in the political framework in following mentions.
It has been seen as an attempt by Hung to move the KMT closer to the concept of “one China, same interpretation,” drawing criticism from a number of party heavyweights, including former vice president Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), who said during his recent visit to the US that the new platform could make it even harder for the KMT to survive in Taiwan.
Wu is reportedly planning to compete against Hung in the KMT’s chairperson race in the second half of next year.
Attending a ceremony yesterday marking the 20th anniversary of the World I-Kuan Tao Headquarters’ founding in Kaohsiung, Hung dismissed the possibility of holding a debate within the KMT to decide the direction of the party’s cross-strait policies.
“Our direction is abiding by the ROC Constitution and complying with whatever regulations that are stipulated in it,” Hung said. “But we must better explain ourselves to the public, particularly to the party members.”
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) today condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the Czech officials confirmed that Chinese agents had surveilled Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) during her visit to Prague in March last year. Czech Military Intelligence director Petr Bartovsky yesterday said that Chinese operatives had attempted to create the conditions to carry out a demonstrative incident involving Hsiao, going as far as to plan a collision with her car. Hsiao was vice president-elect at the time. The MAC said that it has requested an explanation and demanded a public apology from Beijing. The CCP has repeatedly ignored the desires
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s license has expired and it cannot simply be restarted, the Executive Yuan said today, ahead of national debates on the nuclear power referendum. The No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County was disconnected from the nation’s power grid and completely shut down on May 17, the day its license expired. The government would prioritize people’s safety and conduct necessary evaluations and checks if there is a need to extend the service life of the reactor, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference. Lee said that the referendum would read: “Do
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Saturday that she would not be intimidated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), following reports that Chinese agents planned to ram her car during a visit to the Czech Republic last year. "I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety," Hsiao said on social media platform X. "The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she wrote. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic on March 18 last year as vice president-elect and met with Czech Senate leadership, including
RSS