What’s in a name?
When asked “Which country is trying to annihilate the Republic of China [ROC]?” by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培), Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), replied in anger, saying that “the DPP and the Communist Party” would annihilate the ROC.
Chien questioned why Chiang dared not say the “Chinese Communist Party” (CCP) and why he is weak on China.
In 1994, the KMT suggested that if Taiwan was to be ruled by the DPP, the ROC would perish. The nation has seen three DPP presidents, and the ROC is still alive and well, and even thriving in the international community.
From the dialogue between Chien and Chiang, with reference to the current international situation, cross-strait relations and historical development, it is clear that the communist party Chiang referred to is the “Chinese Communist Party.” No communist party from any other country but China is trying to annihilate the ROC.
It does not matter whether Chiang has said the word “China.” He would not be blamed by China either way. The way it happened is how China wanted it to be.
Moreover, the CCP has demanded the KMT to uphold the so-called “1992 consensus” and the “one China” principle.
On Sept. 10, 1992, a meeting took place in Hong Kong between representatives of Taiwan’s Straits Exchange Foundation and China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, which gave birth to the “1992 consensus.”
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the CCP that both sides of the 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) in 2006 admitted that he made up the term in 2000 to break the cross-strait deadlock and alleviate tension.
The real intention of the term is that only the People’s Republic of China is to be recognized by both sides of the Strait and that Taiwan belongs to China. The ROC was not recognized long ago.
How could each side of the Strait have its own interpretation of what “China” means? If it is not annihilating the ROC, then what is it?
Compared with the CCP’s concrete means to annihilate the ROC, what the DPP and mainstream public opinion are trying to do is to distance the nation from the vague country name that is associated with China. This is why they suggest the ROC be officially renamed as “Taiwan.”
It is just a formality of renaming the country, but not annihilating it. The subjectivity of the ROC remains unchanged.
Tien Fong-wen
Taipei
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