In recent years, countries around the world have expressed support for Taiwan’s independent and sovereign status. One key example is the clarification of UN Resolution 2758 — the US has taken great pains to explain that it is related to the representation issue brought about by the previous change in China’s political regime and that it does not involve Taiwan. The European Parliament and the Australian Senate have also spoken out on the issue. The Dutch House of Representatives on Thursday last week passed a motion in support of Taiwan, rejecting China’s attempts to distort the resolution.
Allies in the Asia-Pacific, the US, Australia, the Netherlands — which Taiwan has a historical connection with — and the EU have spoken out on Taiwan’s behalf, emphasizing that China and Taiwan are separate entities. It is just as President William Lai (賴清德) said — China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other, and “one country on each side (一邊一國).” Taiwan must also make a stand — it cannot always let others speak for it.
To coincide with the ongoing 79th UN General Assembly meeting, the Taiwan United Nations Alliance demonstrated support for Taiwan to join the UN and organized an international press conference emphasizing that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan. The conference’s purpose was to clearly explain that Taiwan has no connection with China.
Legislators from the three major political parties have traveled to the US to attend related events. Defending Taiwan’s sovereignty is a cause all Taiwanese should rally around, regardless of political affiliation. However, two legislators from the opposition parties have caused extreme disappointment.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) overtly became a deserter, completely failing to attend an event about UN Resolution 2758, Taiwan’s most important opportunity to declare its stance to the international community.
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Wu Chun-cheng (吳春城) attended both events, asserting that Taiwan should not be excluded from any international organization. However, his rhetoric changed upon returning home. He referred to Taiwan as the “Republic of China (ROC),” seemingly unaware of the contradiction. The key point of the stance that UN Resolution 2758 does not involve Taiwan is that Taiwan has nothing to do with China. For him to argue this before turning around to emphasize Taiwan’s Chinese origins by using “ROC” makes it seem as if he has already forgotten.
To eat and drink Taiwanese food and water, but not support Taiwan must be condemned. We should also take this opportunity to self-reflect. The rest of the world has already decided the time has come to implement “one country on each side.”
How much longer would we continue to hold on to the harmful, good-for-nothing “ROC” — an empty shell that the KMT and the TPP use to cause trouble?
The TPP insists on abolishing the Control Yuan. If it wishes to atone for its crimes with good deeds, there is no harm in working with the Democratic Progressive Party to propose a constitutional amendment. It could eliminate the five-branch government system by abolishing the Examination Yuan and the Control Yuan, and transition to a three-branch government. This would normalize the country, allowing Taiwan to remove its shell once and for all.
If the TPP has the courage and insight to do this, it would be acknowledged as a truly Taiwanese political party, able to firmly plant its roots, and would no longer need to worry about losing its purpose in the absence of its chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).
Tommy Lin is president of the Formosa Republican Association and the Taiwan United Nations Alliance.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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